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Alexander   Campbell, 


EMBRACING 


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A  VIEW  OF  THE  ORIGIN,  PROGRESS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

OF  THE   RELIGIOUS   REFORMATION 

WHICH  HE  ADVOCATED. 


By   ROBERT    RICHARDSON. 


More  sweet  than  odors  caught  by  him  who  sails 
Near  spicy  shores  of  Araby  the  blest, 

A  thousand  times  more  exquisitely  sweet. 

The  freight  of  holy  feeling  which  we  meet, 
In  thoughtful  moments,  wafted  by  the  gales 
From  fields  where  good  men  walk,  or  bow*rs  wherein  they  rest. 

WoRD'^Wf)RTH 


VOL.    II. 


PHILADELPHIA 
J.    B.    LIPPI  NCOTT    &    CO 

1S70. 


Entered  aooording  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1869,  by 

ROBERT   RICHARDSON. 

In  the  Clerk's  Oftce  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  for  the  District  of  West 

Viif;inia. 


Lir?xHoo*T*8  Puss, 

FHILASILPHXA. 


CONTENTS  OF  VOLUME  SECOND. 


'CK 


I 


CHAPTER   I. 

PASB 

Religious  agreement — Protestant  principle — Opposition  to  contro- 
CN  versj — Discussion  with  Rev.  John  Walker — Rules — Circum- 
cision and  baptism — Covenants — Argument  from  antiquity — 
Mode  of  action — Mr.  Findley — Challenge — ^First  bereavement 
— Family  cemetery — Printed  debate — Rev.  S.  Ralston — Holy 
Spirit  the  seal  of  the  Christian  covenant — Aim  not  merely  to 
overthrow  error  but  to  establish  truth 1 1-39 

CHAPTER    II. 

The  Bible  fettered — Submission  of  the  people  to  the  clergy — Mr. 
Campbell's  views  of  the  Bible — Adamson  Bentley — Sidney  Rig- 
don — Ministers'  meetings — Birth  of  a  daughter — Churches  in 
Pittsburg — Birth  of  a  son — Close  of  Buffalo  Seminary — Mr. 
Campbell's  aims  enlarged — "  Christian  Baptist" — Mr.  McCalla 
— Censures  of  the  proceedings  of  the  clergy — Mr.  Campbell's 
views  of  the  Church — Severity  of  his  strictures — Indignation  and 
misrepresentations  of  the  clergy — Manoeuvre  in  the  Redstone 
Association  foiled 4O~70 

CHAPTER    III. 

Journey  to  Kentucky — Rules  of  discussion  with  Mr.  McCalla — 
Appearance  of  disputants — Spirit  manifested — Their  respective 
methods  and  arguments — Design  of  baptism  clearly  stated — 
Amusing  incident — Mr.  Campbell  renews  his  challenge — His 
candor  toward  the  Baptists — His  popularity — Elder  Vardeman 
Results  of  the  discussion — Visit  to  Lexington — Impressions 
made— Philip  S.  Fall— Study  of  the  Scriptures — Union  of 
i  churches  in  Pittsburg— Progress  of  Reformation 71-103 

CHAPTER    IV. 

i  Second  tour  in  Kentucky— Regard  for  the  Baptists — View  of  ex- 

[  •  perimental  religion — Conflicting  opinions — Interview  with  John 

4  3 


4  CONTENTS. 

PAOI 

Smith — Theological  theories — Dr.  Wayland — Baptist  preachers 
of  Kentucky— Incidents— P.  S.  Fall— D.  S.  Burnet— Work  of 
the  Holy  Spirit — The  ancient  order  of  things — Extremes — Sup- 
port of  elders — The  holy  kiss — Feet-washing — Evangelists — 
Visit  to  Eastern  Virginia — R.  B.  Semple — Mistaken  views  enter- 
tained of  Mr.  Campbell — Misrepresentations — His  independent 
position — Views  of  comitiunion — Progress  of  Reformation  in 
various  quarters 103-142 

CHAPTER    V. 

Special  orthodoxies — Sympathy  of  Reformers — New  version  of 
Testament — Moral  courage — Reception  of  the  work — Andrew 
Broaddus'  views  of  the  "  Christian  Baptist"  and  of  spiritual 
agency — Mr.  CampbelKs  guiding  principle — The  Living  Oracles 
— His  opposition  to  speculation — Difficulties — Robert  B.  Sem- 
ple— Paulinus — Point  of  difference — Mahoning  Association — 
Scenes  at  the  Redstone  Association — Washington  Association 
— Bereavement — Mrs.  Campbell's  failing'health — Visit  to  Ken- 
tucky and  Tennessee — Church  in  Nashville — Unusual  request — 
Ministerial  labors — Interest  in  personal  friends — Stillwater  As- 
sociation— Visit  to  Mahoning  Association — Incidents — Appoint- 
ment of  Walter  Scott  as  evangelist — Mrs.  Carapbeirs  earnest 
wish  repeated — Her  address  to  her  daughters — Her  death — Pub- 
lication of  a  hymn-book — Walter  Scott's  labors — The  Christian 
connection >43""i83 

CHAPTER    VI. 

The  gospel  adapted  to  every  creature — Its  simplicity  obscured  by 
false  systems — Attempts  at  reformation  in  North  Carolina,  in 
Vermont  and  in  Kentucky — Barton  W.  Stone — Sketch  of  his 
life — Religious  excitement  in  Kentucky — Springfield  Presby-  - 
tery — Disputations — The  atonement — Practice  of  immersion 
adopted — Its  design  partially  recognized — Reformations  com- 
pared— Their  differences — Correspondence  between  Mr.  Camp- 
bell and  B.  W.  Stone — Limits  of  reason — Restriction  to  Bible 
terms — Progress  on  Western  Reserve — ^Joseph  Gaston — Walter 
Scott — Subject  of  conversion — Design  of  baptism — Adamson 
Bentley— Jacob  Osborne — Arrangement  of  gospel  items— First 
effort  a  failure — Discourse  at  New  Lisbon — Providential  prepara- 
tion— Practical  restoration  of  baptism  for  remission  of  sins — 
Theory  and  practice — Religious  excitement — Conversion  of 
Aylett  Raines — Thomas  Campbell's  labors — Mr.  Campbell's 
home  labors — Church  letters — Essays  upon  the  ancient  gospel 
— Millennial  hopes 184^335 


CONTENTS.  5 

CHAPTER   VII. 

Mr.  Campbeirs  editorial  liberality — Narrow  policies  of  sectarian- 
ism— Influence  upon  skeptics — Discussions  with  them — Notion 
of  a  Deity  received  by  revelation  and  proved  by  nature — In- 
crease of  infidelity — Robert  Owen's  plans — "New  Harmony 
Gazette" — ^A  problem— Dr.  Underbill— Mr.  Owen's  challenge 
accepted — He  visits  Mr.  Campbell — ^Anecdote— Mr.  Campbell's 
second  marriage — Meeting  of  the  Mahoning  Association  at 
Warren — Case  of  Aylett  Raines — Mr.  Campbells  freedom  of 
thought — Basis  of  Christian  union — William  Hayden— John 
Henry — Jonas  Hartzel — Cyrus  and  Marcus  Bosworth — Symonds 
Ryder— E.  B.  Hubbard— John  Whitaker— William  Collins— E. 
Williams— John  Applegate— John  Rudolph — ^A.  AUerton — Trials 
of  early  laborers 226-262 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

Preparations  for  the  Owen  debate— Sketch  of  Robert  Owen — In- 
terest of  the  discussion— Its  character— Gems  pf  Mr.  Owen's 
casket — Mr.  Campbell's  eloquent  defence  of  Christianity — Un- 
expected test— Effect  of  the  discussion  upon  infidelity— Mr. 
Campbell's  influence— Close  of  **  Christian  Baptist" — Reforma- 
tion in  Kentucky— Jeremiah  Vardeman — Large  accessions — Mr. 
Campbell's  fear  of  extremes — Progress  in  Tennessee  and  Vir- 
ginia— Thomas  M.  Henley — Silas  Shelburne — F.  W.  Emmons — 
Ancient  Gospel  in  Birmah— Robert  Tener— Reformation  in  Ire- 
land—In England — Birth  of  a  daughter— R.  Richardson— James 
McElroy— John  McElroy — Susan  Osburne — Mr.  Campbell's 
home-life— Commencement  of  the  "Millennial  Harbinger".  263-303 

CHAPTER    IX. 

Political  canvass— Philip  Doddridge— Mr.  Sprigg— Incidents- 
State  Convention— Mr.  Campbell's  speeches — Maintains  his 
religious  position— His  labors  at  Richmond— Mr.  Madison— Mr. 
Judah— R.  L.  Coleman — His  religious  experience — His  labors— 
R.  B.  Semple— William  Tener  -  Baptist  opposition- Beaver 
anathema— Divisions— Jacob  Creath,  Sr.— J.  Vardeman— Extra 
on  remission  of  sins — Regeneration — Mahoning  Association  dis- 
solved—Stillwater  Association— Annual  meetings— Mr.  Camp- 
bell visits  Ohio,  Kentucky  and  Tennessee— A.  Crihfield— S. 
Rogers — Churches  in  Clinton  county  and  Cincinnati,  Ohio — 
Labors  in  Kentucky— L.  I.  Fleming  and  other  preachers— Nash- 

1* 


6  CONTENTS. 

piai 
ville — Rev.  Obadiah  Jennings — Discussion — IXa  character — Re- 
ligious bigotry — Success  at  Nashville— Return 304"343 

CHAPTER   X. 

Mormonism — Sidney  Rigdon  its  real  author— His  schemes — Prog- 
ress of  the  delusion — Mr.  CanfipbeH's  effective  opposition — The 
Dover  Association — Misrepresentations— Incidents — Co-opera- 
tion— Infidelity — Humphrey  Marshall — L.  H.  Cohen — ^Dialogue 
on  the  Holy  Spirit — Human  philosophy — W.  Scott's  discourse 
on  the  Holy  Spirit — Commendation  by  "Mr.  Campbell — ^A. 
Broaddus'  "Extra  Examined" — Mr.  Campbell's  review — Popu- 
lar errors — Birth  of  a  son — New  Testament,  pocket  edition — R. 
B.  Semple  and  Thomas  Campbell — Divisions  in  Virginia — Acts 
of  Dover  Association — ^Meeting-houses — Instrumental  music  in 
worship— Slavery 344~3^ 

CHAPTER   XI. 

Christian  union — Faith  and  not  opinion  the  proper  basis — John 
Rogers— Thomas  M.  Allen— John  Allen  Gano— John  T.  John- 
son— B.  W.  Stone — ^Union  between  **  Reformers"  and  "  Chris- 
tians"— Thomas  Smith— Aylett  Raines— Francis  R.  and  Henry 
Palmer — Happy  results  of  union — B.  F.  Hall — Mr.  Campbell 
visits  Eastern  Virginia  and  New  York — ^Address  to  skeptics — • 
"Turning  out  the  apostles" — Religious  prejudice — Addresses  in 
Philadelphia— William  Ballen tine— His  essay  on  elders'  office 
—Birth  of  a  daughter— Death  of  eldest  daughter— Extra  on 
kingdom  of  heaven — Progress  of  Reform  in  the  West — In  Eng- 
land—William  Jones    republishes  Mr.   Campbell's  writings — 

James  Wallis 370-397 

CHAPTER   XII. 

Violence  of  the  opposition — "Father  Goodal's  family  circle" — 
Roman  Catholicism— Visit  to  Nashville — Louisville— Dr.  T.  S. 
Bell— Visit  to  Cincinnati  and  Carthage— To  Georgetown,  Ken- 
tucky—Indian Academy — Lexington — Mayslick— John  O'Kane 
— Death  of  Mr.  Campbell's  mother — Bishop  Otey — Discussion 
with  Mr.  Meredith  of  North  Carolina — Baptism  for  remission 
of  sins — Mr.  Campbell's  tour  to  the  North  and  East — Exposure 
of  the  Free-thinkers  at  Ravenna  and  Cleveland — Letters — Mr. 
Campbell's  respect  for  men — Family  affection — Impression  of 
the  New  England  States — Sunrise  at  sea 398-431 


CONTENTS.  7 

CHAPTER   XIII. 

College  of  teachers — ^Bishop  Purcell— Discussion  agreed  upon — 
Propositions— Incidents — Results— Bishop  Purcell  and  St.  Ligori 
— ^Discussion  on  Universalism — S.  W.  Lynd— Gift  of  the  Holy 
Spirit — Position  of  unimmersed  believers — Diminished  hostility 
to  Mr.  Campbell — Birth  of  a  son— Visit  to  Cincinnati— To  Ver- 
sailles, Ky.  — Mr.  Styles  —  Visit  to  Lexington  and  George- 
town   422-438 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Mr.  Campbell's  influence  upon  religious  society — ^No  design  to  be 
the  leader  of  a  party — His  humility — Speculations  of  Dr. 
Thomas — Re-immersion — Leading  principle  of  the  Reformation 
— Liberty  and  license — Repudiation  of  Dr.  Thomas — Mr.  Camp- 
bell's visit  to  the  Southern  States — Charlottesville — Discussion 
with  Dr.  Thomas  at  Painesville — Apparent  reconciliation — ^Dis- 
appointment— Charleston,  South  Carolina — Slavery — E.  A. 
Smith — ^Aug^sta,  Georgia — State  of  the  South — Letters — James 
A.  Butler — ^Alabama — Louisiana — Elder  Clapp — Discourse  at 
New  Orleans^ackson — James  Shannon — Conjugal  affection — 
Labors  in  Kentucky — William  Morton — P.  S.  Fall — Address  to 
Maysville  Lyceum — Death  of  sister  Alicia — Of  daughter  Eliza 
— Impressions  of  wants  of  society — Scheme  of  education — Tal- 
leyrand— Dr.  Fellenberg — Plan  for  future — ^Bethany  College 
organized 439-470 

CHAPTER   XV. 

Reformation  in  South-westernVirginia — Chester  BuUard — Landon 
Duncan— Joseph  Thomas,  "  the  White  Pilgrim" — Effect  of  Mr. 
Campbell's  writings — "Dover  Decrees" — Andrew  Broaddus — 
Mr.  Campbell's  desire  for  union — Discussion  of  the  atonement 
with  B.  W.  Stone — Its  good  effect — ^Birth  of  a  daughter — Open- 
ing of  Bethany  College — Its  success — Union  meeting  at  Lexing- 
ton—J.  M.  Peck  on  spiritual  influence — Agencies  employed  to 
prepare  the  heart — ^Tours  on  behalf  of  the  college  to  Ken- 
tucky and  Ohio — Numerous  accessions — Church  organization 
— ^Visit  to  Eastern  cities — British  consul  atNew  York— Bunxjese 
Bible — Birth  of  a  son 471-500 

CHAPTER   XVL 

Overtures  for  discussion  with  Presbyterians — N.  L.  Rice — Propo- 
sitions— Rules — Method  of  disputants — Mr.  Campbell's  position 


»  CONTENTS. 

PAQI 

in  regard  to  Bapto  and  its  derivatives— Full v  verified  hy  Sinaitic 
Codex — Incidents  of  debate — Impressions  on  the  public — Mr. 
Rice's  ingenuity — Principles  of  the  Reformation  stated  and  ex- 
plained— ^A  doctrinal  and  a  personal  faith — Presbyterians  de- 
ceived in  their  expectations — Effects  of  the  discussion  when 
printed — Mr.  Campbell  and  Doctors  of  Divinity — His  incessant 
occupation 501-529 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

View  of  the  slavery  relation — His  wisdom  prevents  division — 
Bethany  College — Tour  in  its  behalf  in  Virginia,  North  Caro- 
lina, South  Carolina  and  Georgia — R.  L.  Coleman — Dr.  Hooke 
— Mrs.  Tubman — ex-Governors  Hammond  and  Schley — Tour 
to  the  Far  West — St.  Louis — Columbia — Fayette — Palmyra — 
Hannibal — B.  W.  Stone's  death — Mr.  Campbell's  regard  for  him 
— Visit  to  Illinois — Capital  punishment — Death  of  T.  M.  Hen- 
ley— Death  of  daughter  Lavinia — Evangelical  Alliance — Wide 
diffusion  of  Reformation  principles — Visit  to  Europe  with  James 
Henshall — Robert  Owen — Sea  voyage — Meetings  in  Liverpool, 
Chester,  Wrexham,  Shrewsbury,  Nottingham  and  London,  etc. 
— Trip  to  Paris — Journey  to  Scotland — Edinburgh — Artifices  of 
opponents — Persecution — Tour  in  Scotland — Aberdeen — Dun- 
dee— Capar — Glasgow — Ivie  Campbell — Ayr — Death  of  son 
Wickliffe — Illegal  prosecution — Mr.  Campbell  refuses  to  accept 
bail — Kindness  of  the  brotherhood — His  imprisonment — Illness 
— Case  of  John  Wesley — Whitefield — Warrant  declared  illegal — 
Release — Rev.  James  Robertson — Dr.  Wardlaw 530-566 

CHAPTER   XVIIL 

Visits  Belfast — Shane's  Castle — Dungannon — Rich-Hill — Pleasant 
reminiscences — Newry — Warren  Point — Liverpool — Meeting  at 
Chester — Funds  for  poor — Return  voyage — Halifax — Lord's  day 
— Views  of  American  citizenship — Return  home  in  impaired 
health — Tenderness  toward  Mrs.  Campbell  in  her  deep  affliction 
— Letters  of  condolence — Resolutions  condemnatory  of  persecu- 
tion in  Scotland— Result  of  Robertson  case—Death  of  Mrs. 
Campbell's  mother — Of  daughter  Margaret — Mr.  Campbell  urges 
emancipation  of  slaves  in  Kentucky — Seeks  to  promote  piety  in 
the  churches  and  good  works — Orphan  school — Address  on 
Anglo-Saxon  language  at  Cincinnati — Visits  Louisville — Dr. 
Humphrey's  description  of  Mr.  Campbell — His  character  as  a 


CONTENTS,  9 

preacher— Visit  to  interior  of  Kentucky — Trip  to  Baltimore — 
Invited  to  address  Congress — ^American  Bible  Union: — His  in- 
terest in  it — Visit  to  Indiana — Change  in  public  sentiment — 
Death  of  daughter  Clarinda — Visit  to  Ohio — Bible  Union  Con- 
vention at  Memphis — Visit  to  Missouri  and  to  Eastern  Virginia 
— Convention  at  Harrodsburg,  Kentucky — Temperance  move- 
ment— Tour  in  Illinois  and  Missouri 567-602 

CHAPTER   XIX. 

Defection  of  J.  B.  Ferguson — Death  of  Thomas  Campbell — Re- 
vision of  Acts  of  the  Apostles— Missionaries — Visit  to  Nashville 
— "  Campbellism  Examined" — Views  of  Dr.  Lynd — Fundamental 
principles — Undue  labor — Its  effects— Visit  to  Canada — Trip  to 
Eastern  Virginia — Excursion  to  Kentucky,  etc. — Progress  of 
truth — Death  of  J.  T.  Johnson — Tour  in  the  South — Letters — 
Christian  baptism — Visit  to  Illinois  and  Iowa 603-631 

CHAPTER    XX. 

« 

Burning  of  the  college  building— Renewed  labors — Visit  to  the 
East,  South  and  West— Letters— G.  D.  Prentice— Dr.  D.  R. 
Campbell — Tours  in  1859  to  the  South,  to  Missouri  and  Kansas 
— **The  Messiahship"  by  W.  Scott— Tour  in  i860  with  Isaac 
Errett  in  Indiana— Mr.  Campbell's  political  foresight — Tour  in 
Virginia  interrupted  by  the  war — Death  of  Walter  Scott — Life 
of  Thomas  Campbell — Death  of  Mrs.  Bryant — Excursions  to 
New  York,  to  Cincinnati — ^Death  of  WilliAm  Hayden— Halluci- 
nations— Letters — Remembrance  of  friends — Visit  to  James  Fos- 
ter— ^Trip  to  Louisville— Last  w^ords  in  the  **  Harbinger**. . .  632-^56 

CHAPTER   XXL 

Worldly  circumstances  —  Hymn-book  —  Decline — Will  —  Mental 
traits  —  Condescension  —  Philanthropy  —  Retaliation  —  Self-de- 
fence—  Conversational  powers  —  Religious  life  —  Progress — Fi- 
delity— Conservatism — Success— Failing  health — Last  discourse 
— Last  attendance  at  meeting — Increasing  debility — Confidence 
— Closing  scenes — ^Death — Funeral  services — List  of  published 
works 657-680 


MEMOIRS 


OF 


Alexander  Campbell. 


CHAPTER    I. 

Religious  dissensions,  how  to  be  ended — Public  oral  debates — Discussion 
with  Mr.  Walker — Its  origin—Its  progress — Its  results — First  family  be- 
reavement— The  family  cemetery — The  Holy  Spirit  the  true  seal  of  the 
New  Covenant 

TO  put  an  end  to  religious  controversy  had  been  one 
of  the  chief  aims  of  the  Reformation  proposed  by 
Thomas  Campbell.  It  was  his  conviction  that,  if  men 
would  adopt  the  Bible  as  the  only  standard  of  religious 
truth,  and  accept  the  meaning  of  its  words  as  deter- 
mined simply  by  the  rules  of  language,  its  true  sense 
would  be  sufficiently  obvious,  and  there  would  be  uni- 
versal agreement  in  relation  to  the  things  which  it  re- 
vealed. It  was  his  fond  hope  that  religious  dissensions 
might  be  thus  brought  to  a  close,  and  that  there  would 
l)e  thenceforward  no  occasion  whatever  for  controversy 
except  with  those  who  denied  the  divine  authority  of 
the  Bible.  Speaking  of  the  primitive  Church  as  de- 
scribed in  the  New  Testament,  he  said :  **  Let  us  do  as 
we  are  there  expressly  told  tAey  did ;  say  as  tAey  said ; 
that  is,  profess  and  practice,  as  therein  expressly  en- 
joined by  precept  and  precedent,  in  every  possible 
instance  after  their  approved  example,  and  in  so  doing 
we  shall  realize  and   exhibit  all  that  unity   and  uni- 

11 


I  a  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

formity  that  the  primitive  Church  possessed,  or  that  the 
law  of  Christ  requires." 

The  view  which  he  thus  adopted  was,  indeed,  sim- 
ply the  great  fundamental  principle  of  Protestantism 
itself,  as  well  stated  by  Chillingworth  in  the  following 
words : 

^^  Let  all  men  believe  the  Scripture,  and  that  only,  and  en- 
deavor to  believe  it  in  the  true  sense,  and  require  no  more  of 
others,  and  they  shall  find  this  not  only  a  better,  but  the  only 
means  to  suppress  heresy  and  restore  unity.  For  he  that  be- 
lieves the  Scripture  sincerely,  and  endeavors  to  believe  it  in 
the  true  sense,  cannot  possibly  be  a  heretic.  And  if  no  more 
than  this  were  required  of  any  man  to  make  him  capable  of 
the  Church's  communion,  then  all  men,  so  qualified,  though 
they  were  different  in  opinion,  notwithstanding  any  such  dif- 
ference, must  be  of  necessity  one  in  communion." — The 
Religion  of  Protestants  a  Safe  Way  to  Salvation^  p.  23 
(Bohn*s  edition). 

The  distinction  between  faith  and  cpinion  was  here 
clearly  indicated,  nothing  more  being  proposed  in  order 
to  communion  and  unity  than  to  believe  '*  the  Scripture 
only^^  and  to  endeavor  "to  believe  it  in  the  true  senseJ*^ 
In  laying  down  this  principle,  the  intelligibility  of  Scrip- 
ture was  necessarily  implied,  and  it  was  not  for  a  mo- 
ment doubted  that  its  true  sense  could  be  gathered  from 
its  words  taken  according  to  their  established  use  and 
in  their  just  connection ;  since  to  have  thought  other- 
wise would  have  been  to  regard  the  Bible  as  having  no 
determinate  meaning  at  all.  With  Thomas  Campbell, 
therefore,  and  all  who  really  adopted  this  principle,  a 
simple  appeal  to  Scripture  was  regarded  as  decisive  in 
relation  to  every  matter  on  which  it  treated ;  while,  on 
the  other  hand,  as  respects  the  innumerable  religious 
questions  which  have  been  or  might  be  started,  aside 


CONTROVERSY  OPPOSED,  13 

from  Revelation,  these,  as  merely  human  inferences 
and  opinions,  were  to  be  considered  as  without  authority 
over  the  conscience,  and  as  of  too  little  importance  in 
themselves  to  be  subjects  of  debate  or  strife.  During 
his  whole  life,  Thomas  Campbell  was  accordingly  most 
careful  to  avoid  all  untaught  questions.  He  did  not 
seem  indeed  to  regard  them  as  worthy  of  even  a  mo- 
ment's consideration,  and  it  was  usual  with  him  to  re- 
mark, in  reply  to  any  one  who  proposed  such  a  ques- 
tion, "Well,  sir,  if  you  will  show  me  how  your  inquiry 
affects  in  any  way  your  salvation,  I  will  endeavor  to 
answer  it."  Nor  was  Alexander  less  firm  in  adhering 
to  the  principle  adopted,  though,  from  the  greater  dis- 
cursiveness of  his  mind  and  his  fondness  for  investiga- 
tion, he  seemed  somewhat  more  indulgent  to  such 
,  questioners. 

In  the  confident  expectation  that  controversy  might 
thus  be  wholly  dispensed  with  among  believers,  it  had 
been  stated  by  Thomas  Campbell,  in  the  Address  of  the 
Christian  Association  of  Washington,  that  '*  contro- 
versy formed  no  part  of  the  intended  plan,"  and  that 
''though  written  objections  to  the  proposed  movement 
would  be  thankfully  received  and  seriously  considered, 
verbal  controversy  was  absolutely  refused."  The  utility, 
indeed,  of  friendly  discussion  in  order  to  elicit  truth  and 
bring  out  the  whole  Scripture  testimony  in  relation  to 
any  particular  subject,  was  always  admitted,  and,  in 
private,  constantly  experienced  ;  but  the  feelings  of  the 
Reformers  were  at  first  decidedly  opposed  to  ftiblic  oral 
debates  even  on  scriptural  themes,  as  being  not  favor- 
able to  the  promotion  of  Christian  union,  since  persons 
thus  publicly  committed  to  the  support  of  particular 
views  were  too  often  tempted  to  strive  for  victory,  rather 

than  for  truth,  and  to  refuse  to  sound  argument  and 

2 


H  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

Scripture  proof  that  candid  and  dispassionate  consider- 
ation which  they  deserved. 

Hence  it  was  that,  when  Alexander  Campbell  was 
urged  in  the  spring  of  1820,  to  engage  in  a  public  oral 
debate  with  Mr.  Walker,  on  the  question  of  Baptism, 
he  at  first  declined  to  consent,  "  not  regarding,"  as  he 
said,  ** public  debates"  to  be  "the  proper  method  of 
proceeding  in  contending  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to 
the  saints."  He  had  adopted  this  conclusion,  however, 
more  from  deference  to  his  father's  feelings  on  the  sub- 
ject, than  from  his  own  matured  convictions  of  expe- 
diency or  from  his  natural  temperament.  Conscious  of 
dialectic  power,  and  possessed  of  unfaltering  courage, 
he  had  been  characterized  even  in  his  boyhood,  by  his 
readiness  to  maintain  the  right,  and  to  enter  the  lists  in 
debate  with  any  worthy  champion  among  his  school- 
mates. His  quick  perception  of  logical  relations ;  his 
wide  range  of  thought ;  his  great  fluency  of  speech  and 
the  keenness  of  his  wit,  peculiarly  adapted  him  to  pub- 
lic discussion ;  and  the  struggle  was  by  no  means  slight 
when,  from  respect  to  existing  circumstances,  he  felt 
obliged  to  repress  his  native  ardor,  and  to  keep  within 
the  lines  which  his  father's  caution  had  prescribed. 
His  peculiar  abilities  as  a  public  disputant  were  not, 
however,  destined  to  remain  inactive  in  the  field  of  the 
Reformation.  Already  had  the  aggressive  course  of 
the  **  Synod  of  Pittsburg"  led  him,  while  yet  a  mere 
youth,  to  appear  in  public  vindication  of  the  Christian 
Association,  and  the  time  had  now  arrived  when  a  fresh 
challenge  from  Presbyterianism  was  to  call  him  out 
fairly  and  fully  into  that  field  of  polemical  discussion 
in  which  he  was  to  find  a  proper  scope  for  his  abilities. 

It  had  happened,  during  the  fall  of  1819,  that  a  Mr. 
John  Birch,  a  Baptist  preacher  at  Flat  Rock,  near  Mt. 


MR.   WALKER'S  CHALLENGE.  1$ 

Pleasant,  Ohio,  had  baptized  an  unusual  number  of 
converts.  This  success,  awakening  the  zeal  of  the 
minister  of  the  Secession  church  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  Mr. 
John  Walker,  induced  him  to  deliver  a  series  of  ser- 
mons in  praise  of  infant  baptism,  and  in  contravention 
of  the  principles  entertained  by  the  Baptists.  On  one 
of  these  occasions,  Mr.  Birch  was  present,  and  as  Mr. 
Walker,  in  the  course  of  his  remarks,  made  some  quota- 
tions from  the  works  of  Dr.  Baldwin  which  seemed 
unfair,  he,  after  sermon,  took  the  liberty  of  asking  Mr. 
Walker  to  what  portion  of  Dr.  Baldwin's  works  he  re- 
ferred. Upon  this,  a  short  dispute  arose  as  to  the 
meaning  of  the  passage  quoted,  and  this  was  followed 
by  several  interviews  and  some  correspondence,  ending 
in  a  challenge  by  Mr.  Walker  to  Mr.  Birch,  or  any 
other  Baptist  preacher  of  good  standing  whom  Mr. 
Birch  might  choose,  to  come  forward  publicly  and  de- 
bate with  him  the  question  of  baptism.  Mr.  Birch 
readily  accepted  the  proposition,  and  from  his  high 
opinion  of  Mr.  Campbell's  ability,  at  once  wrote  to  him 
urging  him  to  undertake  the  discussion. 

To  this  appeal,  Mr.  Campbell,  in  the  circumstances 
in  which  he  was  placed,  was  unable  to  give  an  imme- 
diate reply.  He  kept  it,  therefore,  for  some  time  under 
advisement.  Mr.  Birch  meanwhile  renewed  the  appli- 
cation, and  finally  on  27th  of  March  addressed  to  Mr. 
Campbell  the  following  note : 

"  Dbar  Brother  :  I  once  more  undertake  to  address  you 
by  letter ;  as  we  are  commanded  not  to  weary  in  well-doing, 
I  am  disposed  to  persevere.  I  am  coming  this  third  time 
unto  you.  I  cannot  persuade  myself  that  you  will  refuse  to 
attend  to  the  dispute  with  Mr.  Walker ;  therefore  I  do  not 
feel  disposed  to  complain  because  you  have  sent  me  no  an- 
swer.    True,  I  have  expected  an  answer,  signifying  your  ac- 


1 6  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

ceptance  of  the  same.  I  am  as  yet  disappointed,  but  am  not 
offended  nor  discouraged.  I  can  truly  say  it  is  the  unanimous 
wish  of  all  the  church  to  which  I  belong  that  you  should  be 
the  disputant.  It  is  Brother  Nathaniel  Skinner's  desire ;  it  is 
the  wish  of  all  the  brethren  with  whom  I  have  conversed 
that  you  should  be  the  man.  You  will,  I  hope,  send  me  an 
answer  by  Brother  Jesse  Martin,  who  has  promised  to  bear 
this  unto  you.  Come,  brother ;  come  over  into  Macedonia 
and  help  us.  Yours,  in  the  best  of  bonds, 

"John  Birch." 

Being  thus  called  upon  by  the  church,  and  urged  by 
personal  friends,  he  could  no  longer  refuse  to  yield  to 
his  convictions  of  public  duty.  His  devotion  to  the 
cause  of  truth,  and,  as  he  says,  his  *' unwillingness  to 
appear,  much  more  to  feel,  afraid  or  ashamed  to  defend 
it,"  overcame  the  scruples  arising  from  his  aversion  to 
do  anything  which  might  be  construed  into  a  sanction 
of  modern  religious  controversy.  Having  succeeded, 
accordingly,  in  convincing  his  father  that,  however 
much  the  usual  unprofitable  debates  upon  human  theo- 
ries and  opinions  were  to  be  deplored  and  avoided,  no 
valid  objection  could  lie  against  a  public  defence  of  re- 
vealed truth,  for  which  the  Scripture  afforded  abundant 
precedent,  he  at  length  informed  Mr.  Birch  of  his  will- 
ingness to  meet  Mr.  Walker. 

These  facts  are  of  some  importance,  because  Mr. 
Campbell,  from  the  numerous  public  discussions  in 
which  he  was  subsequently  engaged,  came  to  be  re- 
garded by  many  as  a  person  disposed  to  provoke 
debate,  and  as  seeking  opportunity  to  assail  the  relig- 
ious views  of  others.  The  history  of  the  case  shows, 
however,  that  here,  as  heretofore,  he  was  acting  en- 
tirely on  the  defensive ;  that  he  was  placed  under  an 
imperious  necessity  to  appear  in  behalf  of  the  interests 


RULES  OF  THE  DEBATE. 


17 


of  truth,  and  that  he  had  not  in  any  respect  provoked 
or  originated  controversy  with  the  Paedobaptists. 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Walker  heard  of  Mr.  Campbell's  ac- 
ceptance, he  addressed  to  him  the  following  note,  which, 
in  its  style  and  spirit,  shows  sufficiently  who  was  the 
dictating  and  leading  party  : 

"  New  Athens,  May  30,  1820. 
"Mr.  Alexander  Campbell,  Buffalo  Seminary: 

"  I  think  proper  to  intimate  to  you  that  I  have  chosen  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Findley  to  preside  at  the  time  of  our  public  dis- 
pute :  you  have  the  privilege  of  choosing  another ;  you  will 
please  to  make  such  choice,  and  let  him  meet  with  Mr.  Findley 
prior  to  the  day  of  public  dispute,  that  we  may  not  be  de- 
tained. They  should  determine  the  manner  of  dispute,  and 
fix  rules  by  which  we  should  proceed,  and  preside,  not  to 
give  judgment,  but  to  keep  order. 

"  Yours,  with  respect, 

"John  Walker." 

Mr,  Walker,  it  thus  appeared,  had  decided  that  the 
iiioderators  should  refrain  from  giving  judgment  upon 
the  merits  of  the  discussion,  and  had  selected  on  his 
side  Mr.  Findley,  who  had  already,  as  has  been  seen, 
signalized  on  various  occasions  his  intense  hostility  to 
Mr.  Campbell.  The  latter  chose,  on  his  part,  Mr.  Jacob 
Martin,  and  the  following  rules  for  the  discussion  were 
adopted : 

"  I.  Each  speaker  shall  have  the  privilege  of  speaking  forty 
minutes  without  interruption,  if  he  thinks  proper  to  use  them 
all.  2.  Mr.  Walker  shall  open  the  debate  and  Mr.  Campbell 
shall  close  it.  3.  The  moderators  are  merely  to  keep  order, 
not  to  pronounce  judgment  on  the  merits  of  the  debate.  4. 
The  proper  subject  of  the  ordinance  of  baptism  is  first  to  be 
discussed,  then  the  mode  of  baptism.  5.  The  debate  must 
be  conducted  with  decorum,  and  all  improper  allusions  or 
passionate  language  guarded  against.     6.  The  debate  shall 


TOL.  II. — B 


2* 


1 8     MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

be  continued  from  day  to  day  till  the  people  are  satisfied,  or 
till  the  moderators  think  that  enough  has  been  said  on  each 
topic  of  debate." 

Monday  morning,  the  19th  of  June,  having  been  ap- 
pointed as  the  time  for  the  commencement  of  the  dis- 
cussion, the  parties  assembled,  accordingly,  early  on 
that  day  at  the  place  agreed  upon,  Mr.  Campbell  being 
accompanied  by  his  father  and  a  few  friends  who  felt  a 
particular  interest  in  the  result.  The  place  selected 
was  Mt.  Pleasant,  in  Ohio,  a  village  some  twenty-three 
miles  distant  from  Mr.  Campbell's  residence,  and  situ- 
ated in  the  midst  of  a  very  beautiful  and  fertile  country, 
gently  undulating  and  greatly  improved  by  the  care- 
ful culture  and  industry  characteristic  of  the  Quaker 
farmers  who  constituted  a  large  portion  of  the  surround- 
ing population.  Comfortable  dwellings,  rich  fields  of 
clover,  substantial  fences  and  thrifty  orchards  greeted 
the  eye  on  every  side,  with  here  and  there  luxuriant 
groves  or  smaller  clumps  of  stately  forest  trees.  This 
region  was  quite  thickly  settled,  and  as  considerable 
interest  in  the  subject  had  been  already  created,  and 
public  polemical  discussions  were  at  this  time  quite  a 
novelty,  a  large  and  attentive  assembly  was  in  attend- 
ance. 

Immediately  upon  his  arrival,  Mr.  Campbell  was 
privately  informed  by  several  persons  that  Mr.  Walker, 
under  the  impression  that  he  was  of  an  irascible  tem- 
perament, had  intimated  his  intention  to  throw  him  off 
his  guard  by  irritating  language,  so  as  to  gain  the  ad- 
vantage over  him.  Mr.  Walker,  however,  had  been 
entirely  misinformed,  as  Mr.  Campbell,  though  of  an 
earnest  and  ardent  nature,  was  remarkably  self-pos- 
sessed and  firm  ;  and  if  he  really  intended  to  pursue  the 
course  stated,  he  thought  it  best  to  abandon  his  purpose. 


ARGUMENT  FROM  CIRCUMCISION.  19 

An  interview  of  more  than  an  hour  which  he  had  with 
Mr.  Campbell  before  the  debate  began  may  perhaps 
have  undeceived  him ;  but,  however  this  may  have  been, 
it  is  certain  that  he  made  no  such  attempt,  but  acted 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  discussion  in  a 
much  more  gentlemanly  manner  than  Mr.  Campbell 
anticipated,  so  that  the  debate  was  conducted  through- 
out with  a  commendable  degree  of  coolness  and  moder- 
ation. 

Mr.  Walker's  first  speech  was  very  short,  simply 
stating  the  argument  upon  which  throughout  he  chiefly 
relied. 

'*  My  friends,"  said  he,  "  I  don't  intend  to  speak  long  at  one 
time,  perhaps  not  more  than  five  or  ten  minutes,  and  will 
therefore  come  to  the  point  at  once  :  I  maintain  that  baptism 
came  in  the  room  of  circumcision ;  that  the  covenant  on 
which  the  Jewish  Church  was  built,  and  to  which  circum- 
cision is  the  seal,  is  the  same  with  the  covenant  on  which  the 
Christian  Church  is  built,  and  to  which  baptism  is  the  seal ; 
that  the  Jews  and  the  Christians  are  the  same  body  politic 
under  the  same  lawgiver  and  husband ;  hence  the  Jews  were 
called  the  congregation  of  the  Lord ;  and  the  Bridegroom  of 
the  Church  says,  'My  love,  my  undefiled  is  one' — conse- 
quently the  infants  of  believers  have  a  right  to  baptism." 

Mr.  Campbell,  upon  rising,  after  a  modest  exordium 
which  was  well  calculated  to  gain  the  favorable  atten- 
tion of  the  audience,  went  on  to  add  some  remarks  in 
justification  of  the  practice  of  public  discussion  which 
had  been  recently  with  himself  and  his  father  a  subject 
of  careful  inquiry.  After  then  referring  to  his  own 
change  of  views  in  reference  to  baptism,  he  entered 
upon  the  refutation  of  the  argument  stated  by  Mr. 
Walker,  showing  that  Paedobaptists  acted  as  if  they  did 
not  themselves  believe  it  true,  since,  in  point  pf  fact. 


20  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

they  did  not  put  baptism  in  the  room  of  circumcision, 
as  they  did  not  confine  it  to  males  only  and  extend  it  to 
servants  as  well  as  children ;  perform  it  on  the  eighth 
day,  etc. ;  and  then  proceeded  to  point  out  various  dif- 
ferences between  the  two  institutions  which  rendered 
the  supposed  substitution  of  the  one  for  the  other  im- 
possible. Among  these,  he  particularizes  the  fact  that 
circumcision  required  only  carnal  descent  from  Abra- 
ham, or  covenant  relation  to  Abraham,  but  that  baptism 
demanded  faith  in  Christ  as  its  indispensable  prerequi- 
site ;  and  that  baptism  differed  from  circumcision  in  the 
nature  of  the  blessings  it  conveyed,  which  were  spirit- 
ual and  not  temporal,  etc. 

"  Baptism,"  said  he,  *'is  connected  with  the  promise 
of  the  remission  of  sins  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit." 
This  utterance  is  worthy  of  notice  as  his  first  definite 
and  public  recognition  of  the  peculiar  oflSce  of  baptism. 
While,  however,  he  thus,  in  1820,  distinctly  perceived 
and  asserted  a  scriptural  connection  between  baptism 
and  remission  of  sins,  he  seems  at/  this  time  to  have 
viewed  it  only  in  the  light  of  an  argtiment^  and  to  have 
had  but  a  faint  appreciation  of  its  great  practical  im- 
portance. A  momentary  and  passing  glance  only 
seems  as  yet  to  have  been  directed  to  the  great  purpose 
of  baptism,  which  subsequently  assumed  so  conspicuous 
a  position  in  the  restoration  of  the  primitive  gospel. 

As  to  the  differences  alleged  between  baptism  and  cir- 
cumcision, Mr.  Walker  affected  to  regard  them  as  of 
little  consequence,  saying  in  general  that  Christ  had  a 
right  to  add  or  alter  as  he  pleased,  and  giving  as  a 
reason  for  the  selection  of  the  eighth  day  for  circum- 
cision that  the  Jewish  mother  was  ceremonially  unclean 
seven  days,  and  was  not  permitted  to  accompany  the 
child  to  the  sanctuary  at  an  earlier  period.     Mr.  Camp- 


ARGUMENT  FROM  THE   COVENANTS.  21 

bell's  superior  knowledge  of  the  Bible  enabled  him  at 
once  to  confute  this  assertion  and  to  show  from  Lev. 
xii.  2-4,  that  the  mother  was  not  permitted  to  come  into 
the  sanctuary  until  the  end  oi  forty  days^  and  further- 
more that  the  eighth  day  had  been  appointed  four  hun- 
dred years  before  the  giving  of  the  law  which  desig- 
nated the  periods  of  purification.  The  chief  point 
debated,  however,  was  the  identity  of  the  covenants  on 
which  the  Jewish  and  Christian  institutions  rested,  as 
asserted  by  Mr.  Walker.  In  refutation  of  this,  Mr. 
Campbell  adduced  Paul's  account  of  the  "new"  cove- 
nant, founded  upon  ''better  promises,"  and  the  subject 
was  discussed  at  considerable  length. 

Such  were  some  of  the  principal  points  brought  for- 
ward during  the  first  day.  As  Mr.  Walker  used  con- 
siderable repetition  and  often  recurred  to  his  argument 
from  the  covenants  without  considering  the  refutation 
given  by  Mr.  Campbell,  the  latter  employed  a  portion  of 
his  time  in  directing  the  attention  of  the  audience  to 
some  of  the  general  principles  of  the  Reformation  he 
was  laboring  to  establish;  which,  if  admitted,  must 
sweep  away  the  entire  foundation  of  Mr.  Walker's 
system.  Some  of  these  were :  the  supreme  authority 
of  Scripture,  and  the  necessity  of  a  positive  command 
for  every  religious  institution,  which  in  no  case  could  be 
based  upon  mere  reasoning  or  upon  human  tradition. 

On  the  following  morning,  Mr.  Walker  reiterated  his 
views  concerning  the  covenants,  and  appealed  to  the 
four  cases  of  household  baptism  mentioned  in  the  New 
Testament  as  evidence  that  infants  were  baptized  in 
apostolic  times.  Mr.  Campbell,  however,  showed  it  to 
be  wholly  without  proof  that  there  were  infants  in  any 
of  these  families.  He  proved,  on  the  contrary,  from 
incidental  circumstances  stated  in  each  case,  that  there 


22  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

could  have  been  none.  *'A11  the  house  of  Cornelius,'' 
as  McLean  concisely  remarks,  ^^^ feared  God  and  re- 
ceived the  Holy  Spirit.  Lydia's  household  were  com- 
forted as  brethren.  The  word  of  the  Lord  was  spoken 
to  all  in  the  jailer's  house,  and  they  all  rejoiced^  believ- 
ing  in  God  as  well  as  himself.  All  the  house  of  Cris- 
pus  believed  on  the  Lord,  and  the  house  of  Stephanas 
are  said  to  have  addicted  themselves  to  the  ministry  of 
the  saints.  Now,  if  these  things  which  are  affirmed 
of  all  the  baptized  will  not  appl}'  to  infants,  then  it  is 
plain  there  were  no  infants  baptized  in  those  houses." 

Finding  that  Mr.  Walker  continued  to  repeat  his 
argument  from  the  covenants,  Mr.  Campbell  resolved 
to  give  it  a  more  thorough  sifting,  especially  as  Mr. 
Walker  seemed  to  labor  under  the  impression  that  he 
desired  to  evade  it.  Intimating,  therefore,  that  it  was 
his  purpose  to  publish  the  debate,  he  propounded  cer- 
tain queries  to  Mr.  Walker,  in  order  that  he  might  have 
a  precise  statement  of  the  ground  he  occupied  and  fore- 
stall any  charges  of  misrepresentation.  Mr.  Walker, 
admitting  that  the  positions  attributed  to  him  were  cor- 
rectly stated  as  written  down  by  Mr.  Campbell,  pro- 
posed to  him  in  turn  certain  questions,  which  he  an- 
swered in  his  next  speech,  in  which  he  again  proposed 
questions  to  Mr.  Walker.  At  this  juncture  he  was  inter- 
rupted by  Mr.  Findley,  who  objected  to  this  mode  of 
proceeding.  He  said  that,  "  as  the  object  of  this  meet- 
ing was  the  edification  of  the  public,  he  could  not  con- 
ceive how  the  asking  and  answering  of  questions  could 
promote  their  edification.  He  desired  that  we  should 
proceed  in  some  way  more  conducive  to  their  edifica- 
tion." To  this  Mr.  Campbell  replied:  '«Mr.  Findley, 
you  are  doubtless  an  advocate  for  the  Westminster 
Creed  and  Catechism,  and,  I  presume,  as  such,  must 


THE  SPIRITUAL   COVENANT.  23 

agree  with  your  brethren  that  the  catechetical  mode  of 
instruction  is  the  best.  As  we  are  now  proceeding  as 
the  Westminster  divines  direct,  I  think  you  cannot  with- 
out a  dereliction  of  principle  object."  This  effectually 
silenced  Mr.  Findley's  objections,  and  Mr.  Walker  went 
on,  in  reply  to  Mr.  Campbell's  queries,  to  assert : 

^^That  temporal  and  spiritual  blessings  were  enjoyed 
under  both  covenants  through  the  righteousness  of  Christy 
and  that  the  covenants  were  therefore  the  same  in  this  re- 
spect. He  added  that  all  the  blessings  mankind  ever  enjoyed, 
even  the  very  least,were  enjoyed  through  Christ's  righteousness." 

"  This  thesis,"  said  Mr.  Campbell  in  reply,  "  the  Cov- 
enanters of  Europe  maintained,  and  the  Seceders  opposed 
it.  The  Seceders  in  Scotland  maintained  that  it  was  derog- 
atory to  the  redemption  of  Christ  to  suppose  that  he  died  '  to 
purchase  food  and  raiment  for  mankind,  which  the  Almighty 
had  given  to  the  brutes  that  perish.*  Moreover,  the  Seceders 
affirmed  that  it  was  an  error  of  a  very  pernicious  tendency  to 
say  that  wicked  men,  dying  impenitent,  had  enjoyed  any  part 
of  the  purchase  of  Christ,  which,  upon  the  Covenanters'  hy- 
pothesis, they  must,  if  their  food  and  raiment,  houses,  lands 
and  tenements  were  a  part  of  his  purchase.  Mr.  W.,  then, 
abandons  the  'Mother  Kirk'  of  Scodand  and  joins  the  Cov- 
enanters, in  order  to  maintain  that  the  covenant  of  circum- 
cision is  the  same  as  the  covenant  of  grace.  This,  with  me, 
however,  is  a  small  matter,  if  he  did  not  also  oppose  Moses 
and  Paul."  He  then  showed  that  the  claim  of  privilege  under 
the  covenant  of  circumcision  was  simply  carnal  descent  from 
Abraham.  "We  have  Abraham  to  our  father,"  was  the 
claim  urged  by  the  Jews.  On  the  other  hand,  the  spiritual 
covenant  placed  the  enjoyment  of  its  blessings  on  a  very  dif- 
ferent basis.  "  If  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed 
and  heirs,  according  to  the  promise." 

Mr.  Walker  asserted  also, 

^^That  the  duties  incumbent  upon  the  subjects  of  both  cov- 
enants  were  the  same.** 


24  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

"That  is,"  said  Mr.  Campbell,  "  'an  eye  for  an  eye'  and 
'  a  tooth  for  a  tooth '  is  the  same  as  '  resist  not  evil ' — '  hate 
your  enemy '  is  the  same  as  '  love  your  enemies/  .  .  .  The 
paying  of  tithes  to  the  Levites,  the  buying  and  selling  slaves 
of  the  heathen,  etc.,  are  all  the  same  in  substance  \Vith  pay- 
ing stipends  to  the  clergy,  buying  and  selling  slaves  in  the 
United  States,  etc." 

Mr.  Walker  affirmed  further, 

"  That  there  were  no  penalties  under  either  covenant**    ' 

This  extraordinary  declaration  was  readily  exposed  by  a 
reference  to  the  numerous  penalties  denounced  against  viola- 
tions of  the  Mosaic  law  (Deut.  xxviii.),  and  to  the  punish- 
ments attached  to  the  New,  as  in  i  Cor.  xi. 

Mr.  Walker  then  finally  urged, 

^^  That  Abraham  was  not  the  father  of  a  twofold  seed^ 
but  of  the  faithful  alone** 

"  That,"  said  Mr.  Campbell,  "  is  the  most  flat  contradiction 
of  plain  Scripture  testimony  I  have  heard  from  the  lips  of  a 
professed  teacher  of  religion.  '  I  have  made  thee  (by  cov- 
enant) the  father  of  many  nations,'  Rom.  iv.  17;  and  verses 
II,  12.  'And  he  received  the  sign  of  circumcision,  .  .  .  that  he 
might  be  the  father  of  all  them  that  believe,  though  they  be 
not  circumcised ;'  and  ^the  father  of  the  circumcision,'  not 
only  as  their  natural  father,  but  to  such  of  them  '  as  walk  in 
the  steps  of  that  faith  of  our  father  Abraham.*  .  .  .  That 
he  was  the  natural  father  of  the  whole  Jewish  nation  and  the 
spiritual  father  of  all  true  believers,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles, 
Mr.  Walker  himself,  I  am  convinced,  has  often  observed  ;  and 
it  is  now  owing  to  the  confusion  of  his  mind  and  the  per- 
nicious tendency  of  a  corrupt  system  that  he  does  not  con- 
fess it." 

Mr.  Walker  now  abandoned,  somewhat  hastily,  his 
favorite  argument  from  the  covenants,  which,  under  Mr. 
Campbell's  inquisition,  had  led  him  to  make  assertions 
so  unwarrantable ;  and  passing  to  the  argument  from 
antiquity,  adduced  some  of  the  primitive  fathers  to  prove 


ARGUMENT  FROM  ANTIQUITY,  25 

the  existence  of  the  practice  of  infant  baptism  in  the 
early  Church. 

Admitting  that  both  infant  baptism  and  infant  sprink- 
ling were  very  ancient  practices,  Mr.  Campbell  denied 
that  mere  antiquity  could  prove  them  to  be  right,  since 
many  things  were  introduced,  even  in  the  first  and 
second  centuries,  which  are  admitted  to  be  corruptions, 
and  wjiich  would  have  to  be  received  upon  the  same 
ground;  as,  for  instance,  the  divine  right  of  episcopacy, 
the  observance  of  Easter,  the  celibacy  of  the  clergy, 
the  doctrine  of  purgatory,  etc.  He  affirmed,  however, 
that  infant  baptism  was  not  taught  or  practiced  for  many 
years  after  the  apostolic  age,  there  being  no  record  ex- 
tant that  mentions  it  for  at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years  after  the  Christian  era,  the  testimony  of  the  primi- 
tive fathers  being,  up  to  this  time,  exclusively  in  favor 
of  believers'  baptism.  *'The  first,  indeed,  who  men- 
tions infant  baptism,"  said  he,  **is  Tertullian,  who 
flourished  from  A.  D.  194  to  216,  and  is  ranked  among 
the  writers  of  the  third  century.  And  even  he  speaks 
of  it  to  disapprove  of  it,  and  says  of  it,  along  with  other 
things  of  a  similar  nature,  '  If  you  demand  a  law  for 
these  practices  taken  from  the  Scriptures,  ive  cannot 
find  one  there^  but  we  must  answer  that  it  is  tradition 
that  has  established  them,  custom  that  has  authorized 
them  2Sidi.faith  that  has  made  them  to  be  observed.' " 

During  this  part  of  the  discussion,  Mr.  Findley  again 
interrupted  Mr.  Campbell,  and  objected  to  his  reading 
passages  from  Robinson,  on  the  ground  that  the  latter 
had  impugned  the  character  of  St.  Cyprian.  After 
some  delay,  the  question  was  referred  to  the  assembly, 
which  decided,  hy  a  large  majority,  that  the  extracts 
should  be  read.  The  testimony  of  the  fathers  having 
been  fully  examined  upon  the  subject  of  the  origin  of 

3 


26  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

infant  baptism,  the  debate  was  adjourned  for  half  an 
hour  at  two  o'clock  on  Tuesday,  with  the  understanding 
that,  on  reassembling,  the  action^  or,  as  it  is  termed,  the 
7nodey  of  baptism  was  to  be  discussed.  Mr.  Campbell 
was  surprised  to  find,  when  the  time  arrived,  that  Mr. 
Findley,  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Walker,  wished  to  limit 
the  further  discussion  to  one  speech  on  each  side. 
This  desire  for  so  abrupt  a  termination  he  had  not  ex- 
pected from  those  who  in  the  beginning  had  proposed 
to  adjourn  from  day  to  day  until  everything  was  fully 
discussed,  but  he  consented  to  close  with  two  speeches 
on  each  side,  on  the  ground  that  if  it  was  sufficient  for 
them  it  was  quite  sufficient  for  him. 

Mr.  Walker  then  went  on  to  adduce  the  usual  argu- 
ments to  prove  that  '*  pouring  and  sprinkling  are  scrip- 
tural modes  of  baptism,  urging  that  the  expression  *  in 
water '  might  be  rendered  with  water ^  and  that  ^aKzi^w 
did  not  necessarily  signify  to  dip,  but  to  sprinkle  or 
pour,. because  in  some  cases  it  implies  *  to  wash.'"  In 
reply,  Mr.  Campbell  quoted  the  eminent  Presbyterian 
translator  and  critic.  Dr.  George  Campbell,  affirming 
that  ftanri^io  should  be  rendered  immerse  or  dip,  and 
that  in  construction  with  it  the  preposition  eu  should  be 
translated  m,  and  not  wit  A.  These  concessions  he  cor- 
roborated by  the  authority  of  a  number  of  the  most 
eminent  scholars  and  by  the  standard  lexicons  of  the 
Greek  language.  To  this  Mr.  Walker  made  but  a  fee- 
ble rejoinder,  closing  with  a  few  remarks  to  the  audi- 
ence. Mr.  Campbell  then  adduced  some  additional  and 
overwhelming  proofs  with  regard  to  the  action  signified 
by  baptism,  and  in  concluding  the  debate  took  occasion 
to  speak  thus  of  the  course  pursued  by  Mr.  Findley : 

"  I  am  sorry  I  cannot  compliment  Mr.  Findley,  Mr. 
Walker's  moderator,  for  his  impartiality  on  this  occasion. 


OPINION  OF  THE  CLERGY,  27 

His  partiality  has  been  so  manifest  to  you  all  as  to  require 
no  comment  from  me.  I  merely  wish  to  let  you  know  that  I 
am  conscious  of  it,  and  that  my  not  speaking  of  it  sooner  was 
not  from  the  want  of  perception,  but  to  preserve  that  decorum 
in  the  course  of  the  debate  which  I  considered  comely,  and 
from  which  I  was  determined  not  to  be  forced,  even  by  treat- 
ment still  more  flagrant.  ...  I  freely  forgive  him,  however, 
attributing  it  to  a  misguided  zeal,  and  hope  you  also  will  for- 
give him." 

After  noticing  some  other  matters,  he  then  thus,  in  the 
presence  of  Mr.  Walker  and  Mr.  Findley,  fearlessly 
expressed  his  opinion  of  the  clergy : 

"  You  have  heard,"  said  he  to  the  audience,  "  and  patiently 
attended  to  this  tedious  debate.  What  are  you  now  to  do? 
I  will  answer  this  question  for  you  :  Go  home  and  read  your 
Bibles  ;  examine  the  testimonies  of  those  holy  oracles  ;  judge 
for  yourselves,  and  be  not  implicit  followers  of  the  clergy. 
Amongst  the  clergy  of  different  denominations,  I  charitably 
think,  there  are  a  few  good  men  ;  but,  as  a  body  of  men, 
'  they  have  taken  away  the  key  of  knowledge  from  the  people.' 
And  hov)^  do  you  say  ?  By  teaching  you  to  look  to  them  for 
instruction  as  children  to  a  father ;  by  preventing  you  from 
judging  for  yourselves,  through  an  impression  that  you  are 
not  competent  to  judge  for  yourselves.  This  is  a  prevailing 
opinion  with  many.  Of  what  use,  then,  is  the  Bible  to  the 
bulk  of  mankind,  if  you  are  not  to  presume  to  examine  it  for 
yourselves,  or  to  think  yourselves  capable  of  judging  of  it? 
This  is  to  make  you  the  dupes  of  haughty  leaders,  who  will 
cause  you  to  err.  To  attempt,  directly  or  indirectly,  to  dis- 
suade you  from  thinking  and  examining  for  yourselves,  by 
putting  creeds  already  framed  into  your  hands,  or  the  works 
of  men  instead  of  the  pure  Word,  is,  in  my  opinion,  so  far 
depriving  you  of  the  key  of  knowledge.  I  do  not  say  that  all 
the  clergy  are  doing  so,  but  I  am  sure  that  a  vast  majority  of 
them  are  doing  so." 

It  must  be  confessed  that  Mr.  Campbell's  knowledge 


28  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

of  the  existing  state  of  religious  society,  and  his  ac- 
quaintance with  the  clergy  heretofore,  in  a  good  degree 
justified  the  conceptions  he  had  formed  of  them.  He 
had  found  them,  both  in  Europe  and  America,  opposed 
to  reforms ;  ever  on  the  alert  to  repress  inquiry ;  ever 
seeking  to  exercise  complete  control  over  men's  opinions, 
and  ever  ready  to  employ  against  any  who  presumed  to 
dispute  their  authority  the  unchristian  weapons  of  de- 
traction and  persecution.  In  vain  had  Luther  placed 
the  Bible  in  the  hands  of  the  people,  if  the  clergy  alone 
could  comprehend  it,  and  were  allowed  the  exclusive 
privilege  of  explaining  it.  It  was,  therefore,  necessar}' 
that  men  should  be  exhorted  to  break  the  seal  thus  im- 
posed upon  the  sacred  volume,  and  to  read  and  examine 
it  for  themselves. 

"  Because  I  have  taken  this  course,"  he  continued,  "  which 
I  recommend  to  you,  I  have  been  stigmatized  with  many  op- 
probrious epithets.  Sometimes  as  being  very  '  changeable,' 
although  I  have  to  this  day  undeviatingly  pursued  the  same  course 
which  I  commenced  nearly  as  soon  as  I  was  of  age,  and  have 
now  prosecuted  it  for  almost  ten  years — viz.,  to  teach,  to  be- 
lieve, to  practice  nothing  in  religion  for  which  I  cannot  pro- 
duce positive  precept  or  approved  precedent  from  the  word 
of  God.  .  .  .  And  because  I  maintain  that  the  New  Testa- 
ment Scriptures  are  a  perfect,  complete  and  perspicuous  rule 
of  faith  and  practice,  as  far  as  respects  Christian  it}',  I  am 
called  an  Antinomian  and  am  impeached  with  utterly  throw- 
ing away  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures.  These,  and  many 
other  insinuations  as  malicious  and  unfounded,  have  been 
suggested  against  me,  which  are  as  far  from  my  sentiments  as 
the  east  is  distant  from  the  west.  These  vile  slanders  may 
serve  the  cause  of  a  party  for  a  little  while,  but  will  ultimately 
fall  upon  the  heads  of  the  fabricators  of  them.  If  you,  then, 
should  think  of  judging  for  yourselves,  and  of  following  the 
dictates  of  the  Divine  word  and  your  own  consciences  en- 


MR.  CAMPBELVS  CHALLENGE.^  29 

lightened  by  it,  you  must  not  think  that  any  strange  thing  has 
happened  unto  you  if  you  should  become  the  objects  of  re- 
proach. But  remember,  *  the  triumph  of  the  wicked  is  short,' 
and  ^  if  ye  be  reproached  for  the  name  of  Christ,  happy  are 
ye.' " 

During  the  progress  of  this  discussion  he  seems  to 
have  become  more  and  more  favorable  to  such  methods 
of  public  disputation — a  result  partly  due,  perhaps,  to 
his  easy  triumph  over  his  opponent,  and  his  growing 
consciousness  of  the  possession  of  powers  peculiarly- 
adapted  to  such  encounters,  but  still  more  to  the  con- 
viction that  they  afforded*  a  favorable  means  of  diffusing 
amongst  the  people  a  knowledge  of  those  religious 
principles  to  which  he  was  himself  devoted.  On  this 
occasion  he  felt,  moreover,  that  as  the  challenge  had 
come  from  the  Paedobaptist  ranks,^  and  Mr.  Walker  had 
so  signally  failed  to  prove  infant  baptism  a  divine  ordi- 
nance, it  was  becoming  in  him  to  return  the  compliment, 
and  to  invite  any  other  Paedobaptist  teacher  to  try  to 
do  what  Mr.  Walker  had  attempted  in  vain.  He, 
therefore,  in  concluding,  gave  the  following  general 
invitation : 

^'  I  this  day  publish  to  all  present  that  I  feel  disposed  to 
meet  any  Paedobaptist  minister  of  any  denomination,  of  good 
standing  in  his  party,  and  I  engage  to  prove  in  a  debate  with 
him,  either  vivd  voce  or  with  the  pen,  that  infant  sprinkling 
is  a  human  tradition  and  injurious  to  the  well-being  of  society, 
religious  and  political." 

Such  a  challenge  as  this  was  well  calculated  to  arrest 
forcibly  the  attention  ,of  society.  This  was  what  Mr. 
Campbell  chiefly  designed  by  it,  though  he  was  him- 
self fond  of  bold  and  strongly-stated  propositions.  This 
was  in  harmony  with  the  character  of  his  mind,  which 
was  disposed  to  take  a  wide  and  exhaustive  view  of 

3» 


30  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

every  subject  and  seize  at  once  upon  principles  and 
results.  He  could  not  be  content  with  the  simple  and 
common  theme,  that  "infant  sprinkling  is  a  human 
tradition."  He  could  not  confine  his  thoughts  merely 
to  the  validity  or  invalidity  of  that  ordinance,  as  was 
customary.  He  must  take  a  wider  view,  and  believing 
that  this  *' human  tradition  carnalized  and  secularized 
the  Church,"  **  introduced  an  ungodly  priesthood  into 
it"  and  *'  prevented  the  union  of  Christians,"  he  could 
well  aflSrm  it  to  be  *'  injurious"  to  religious  '*  society." 
And  not  only  so,  but  knowing  that  the  confounding  of 
the  Jewish  and  Christian  institutions  which  it  required 
led  to  national  religious  establishments,  and  filled  the 
clergy  with  an  eager  thirst  for  political  power,  and  that 
persecutions  had  generally  proceeded  from  Psedobaptist 
parties,  he  would  assert  still  further  that  it  was  **  injuri- 
ous" to  political  "  society"  and  inimical  to  public  liberty. 
In  the  frankness  and  fearlessness  of  his  independent 
spirit,  he,  from  this  time  forward,  held  himself  in  readi- 
ness, accordingly,  to  meet  within  the  lists  of  public  dis 
cussion  any  worthy  champion  who  might  appear  in 
opposition  to  the  truths  he  taught,  or  in  defence  of 
popular  religious  error.  Such  was  his  love  for  truth 
that  to  it  he  was  ever  ready  to  sacrifice  ease  and  repu- 
tation, fortune,  and  even  life. 

"  We  ardently  wish  for,"  said  he — "  we  court  discussion. 
Great  is  the  truth  and  mighty  above  all  things,  and  shall  pre- 
vail. We  constantly  pray  for  its  progress  and  desire  to  be 
valiant  for  it.  Truth  is  our  riches.  Blessed  are  they  that 
possess  it  in  their  hearts,  who  know  its  value,  who  feel  its 
power,  who  live  under  its  influence.  They  shall  lie  down  in 
the  dust  in  peace,  they  shall  rest  from  their  labors  in  hope,  and 
in  the  morning  of  the  resurrection  they  shall  rise  in  glory  and 
be  recompensed  for  all  their  trials  and  sufferings  in  its  support." 


EFFECT  OF  THE  DISCUSSION,  31 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Campbell  had  taken  his  seat,  Mr. 
Findley  took  it  upon  himself  to  give  his.  opinion  of  the 
discussion,  and  when  Judge  Martin,  the  other  modera- 
tor, attempted  to  express  his  disapprobation  of  this  viola- 
tion of  the  rules  agreed  upon,  Mr.  Findley  prevented 
him  by  telling  the  audience  that  the  debate  was  over 
and  that  they  might  now  retire.  He  then  took  his  hat 
and  passed  out  through  the  crowd  amidst  some  hisses 
and  other  marks  of  disapprobation.  The  people,  how- 
ever, with  the  exception  of  some  two  or  three  persons, 
kept  their  places  until  Thomas  Campbell,  being  called 
upon  to  close  the  meeting,  rose  and  dismissed  them  in 
the  usual  form. 

Such  were  the  circumstances  and  general  features  of 
Mr.  Campbell's  first  oral  debate,  which  greatly  in- 
creased his  reputation,  and  made,  at  the  time,  a  pro- 
found impression  on  the  community  around  Mount 
Pleasant.  Even  the  Paedobaptists  felt  that  he  had 
gained  the  victory,  and  being  greatly  chafed  at  this 
result,  they  made  various  efforts  to  palliate  or  remedy 
the  defeat.  Mr.  Findley  was  understood  to  excuse  Mr. 
Walker  on  the  ground  of  **  insufficient  preparation." 
Many,  however,  were  disposed,  rather  ungenerously, 
to  impute  the  failure  of  their  cause  in  his  hands  to  in- 
competency, and  in  consequence  of  the  impressions 
niade,  Mr.  Walker  suddenly  lost  the  reputation  he  had 
previously  enjoyed  as  a  man  of  superior  abilities.  The 
effects  of  the  discussion  were  much  more  widely  ex- 
tended by  its  publication  soon  afterward  from  notes  of 
the  speeches  taken  down  at  the  time  by  Salathiel  Curtis, 
who  acted  as  clerk,  and  who  belonged  to  neither  party. 
Mr.  Campbell  added  also  a  variety  of  curious  and  in- 
teresting matter  in  the  form-  of  an  appendix,  in  which, 
v/ith  his  accustomed  liberality,  he  invited  Mr.  Walker 


32  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

by  letter  to  take  part,  in  order  that  he  might  have  an 
opportunity  of  supplying  any  deficiencies  in  his  portion 
of  the  debate.  To  this,  however,  Mr.  Walker  made  no 
response. 

It  was  while  awaiting  a  reply  from  Mr.  Walker, 
during  the  month  of  August  (1820),  that  Mr.  Camp- 
bell was  called  to  suflfer  the  loss  of  his  youngest  child, 
Amanda  Corneigle,  who  had  been  born  on  the  i6th  of 
the  preceding  February.  This  was  the  first  death  in 
his  family,  and  was  deeply  felt,  for  Mr.  Campbell  was 
possessed  of  warm  sympathies  and  strong  natural  at- 
tachments. He  found  consolation,  however,  not  in 
dependence  upon  any  religious  rite  of  human  invention, 
but  in  his  firm  conviction  that  the  redemption  of  Christ 
extended  to  all  dying  in  infancy  and  childhood,  who 
were  alike  incapable  of  faith  and  of  transgression,  but 
were  related  to  Christ  through  that  humanity  which  he 
bore  in  triumph  from  the  grave,  and  who  were  by  him 
even  proposed  as  models  to  those  who  sought  to  enter 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Nothing  indeed  was  more 
striking  in  Mr.  Campbell  than  his  perfect  trust  in  the 
wisdom,  power  ajid  goodness  of  God,  so  that  in  all  the 
numerous  bereavements  he  experienced  he  could  say 
with  resignation,  *'Thy  will  be  done" — a  petition  which, 
when  uttered  in  humility  and  faith,  renders  all  ordinary 
means  of  consolation  quite  unnecessary.  Fond  as  he 
was  of  life,  and  of  those  around  him  in  the  family  circle, 
no  one  could  be  more  deeply  impressed  with  the  uncer- 
tainty and  transitory  nature  of  earthly  ties.  Upon  this 
theme  he  often  dwelt  with  much  feeling,  both  in  social 
converse  and  in  his  prayers,  as  well  as  in  his  public 
addresses,  quoting  those  touching  passages  of  Scripture 
which  describe  man's  earthly  destiny,  with  a  peculiar 
emphasis  and  intonation,  which  showed  how  fully  he 


FAMILY  CEMETERY  33 

realized  their  import,  and  how  familiar  such  reflections 
were  to  his  own  heart. 

It  was  in  harmony  with  these  convictions,  and  with 
the  event  which  had  just  occurred,  that  he  at  this  time 
selected  a  piece  of  ground  upon  the  farm  for  a  family 
burial-place.  Immediately  from  the  public  road  in 
front  of  the  house  there  rose  a  sloping  hill  covered  in 
front  by  the  trees  of  the  orchard  and  passing  at  its  sum- 
mit into  a  broad  tract  of  level  table-land.  A  little  to 
the  south  of  the  orchard,  where  the  winding  BuflTalo 
swept  along  the  base  of  a  precipitous  part  of  the  hill,  a 
slightly-isolated  eminence,  flanked  upon  the  west  by  a 
beautiful  clump  of  native  oaks  and  maples,  presented 
itself  as  well  adapted  to  the  purpose,  commanding  a 
charming  landscape,  and  by  its  elevation  and  distance 
being  sufficiently  retired  from  the  public  road  below. 
Upon  the  side  of  the  orchard,  however,  it  could  be 
readily  reached  by  a  pleasant  pathway,  or  farther  to 
the  right  by  vehicles,  by  means  of  the  winding  farm- 
road  which  ascended  gradually  to  the  cultivated  table- 
land. This  spot,  being  accordingly  selected  and  en- 
closed, became  a  favorite  place  of  resort  for  medita- 
tion in  the  evening  hour,  and  the  favorite  place  of  inter- 
ment for  all  the  branches  of  the  family. 

During  this  year  various  individuals  continued  to 
present  themselves  for  baptism,  and  were  subsequently 
recognized  as  members  of  the  church  at  Brush  Run, 
though  some  lived  at  too  great  a  distance  to  attend 
regularly.  Among  these  may  be  mentioned  Mrs. 
Bakewell,  an  English  lady  at  Wellsburg,  who  was  bap- 
tized in  the  fall  of  1820.  On  the  21st  of  May  follow- 
ing, her  daughter,  Selina  Huntingdon  Bakewell,  came 
forward  and  was  baptized  by  Mr.  Campbell  at  the 
mouth  of  Buffalo  Creek,  the  Ohio  being  very  high  at 

VOL.  II  — C 


34  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

the  time.  This  young  lady  had,  some  years  before, 
become  acquainted  with  John  Brown,  from  seeing  him 
at  Mr.  Campbell's  meetings  in  Wellsburg.  On  one  oc- 
casion he  had  invited  her  to  accompany  him  home  to 
see  his  family,  and  a  warm  mutual  attachment  had 
grown  up  between  her  and  Mrs.  Campbell,  which,  a 
few  years  later,  led  to  events  not  less  interesting  than 
unexpected. 

The  first  edition  of  the  Debate  with  Mr..  Walker,  con- 
sisting of  one  thousand  copies,  printed  at  SteubenVille, 
being  after  some  months  exhausted,  a  second  one  of 
three  thousand  copies  was  published  at  Pittsburg,  to 
which  were  appended  some  severe  strictures  upon 
three  letters  published  in  the  Presbyterian  Magazine  at 
Philadelphia,  and  written  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  Ralston. 
These  letters  professed  to  review  the  debate  at  Mount 
Pleasant,  and  labored  to  defend  and  maintain  the  cause 
of  Paedobaptism,  but  were  shown  by  Mr.  Campbell  to 
contain  many  misrepresentations  of  his  views,  and  to 
abound  in  false  criticisms  and  assertions  without  proof. 
To  these  strictures  Mr.  Ralston  subsequently  replied  in 
a  second  series  of  letters,  which,  together  with  the  first, 
were  published  afterward  in  pamphlet  form,  and  circu- 
lated diligently  throughout  the  region  of  country  in 
which  the  debate  was  held.  It  was  soon  after  this  per- 
formance that  Mr.  Ralston  received  from  Washington 
College  the  title  of  Doctor  of  Divinity. 

Mr.  Campbell's  earnestness  to  establish  correct  views 
of  baptism  did  not  proceed  from  any  over-estimate  of 
its  importance,  but  simply  from  his  love  of  truth  and 
his  desire  that  this  institution  should  be  allowed  to  oc- 
cupy its  proper  place  in  the  economy  of  the  gospel. 
Nor  did  his  pointed  exposures  of  error,  or  keen  retorts 
in  his  public  discussions  of  the  subject,  arise  from  any 


THE  SEAL    OF  THE   COVENANT,  35 

want  of  kindly  feeling  for  his  opponents,  but  from  his 
native  vivacity  and  his  sincere  conviction  that  the 
errors  he  was  combating  had  the  most  injurious  influ- 
ence upon  the  interests  of  religion  and  of  society  itself. 
Upon  this  point  he  himself  remarked  in  his  printed 
debate  with  Mr.  Walker : 

'*With  regard  to  the  spirit  and  temper  of  mind  in 
which  this  work  was  written,  I  can  conscientiously  say 
it  was  that  of  benevolence  and  candor.  If  any  things 
ironical  or  acrimonious  have  been  said,  it  has  been 
owing  more  to  a  genius  naturally  inclined  to  irony, 
which  I  have  often  to  deny,  than  to  a  spirit  of  rancor 
or  bitterness,  which  I  am  not  conscious  of  possessing 
toward  any  party  in  Christendom.  I  sincerely  pity  and 
cordially  deplore  the  errors  of  my  Paedobaptist  brethren 
in  this  important  ordinance ;  not  only  on  account  of  the 
perversion  of  the  ordinance,  but  aliso  on  account  of  its 
obscuring  influence  and  beclouding  effect  upon  their 
views  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  its  government,  its  dis- 
cipline, and,  I  might  add,  some  of  its  doctrines." 

Among  the  errors  involved  in  Paedobaptist  views, 
which  he  discusses  in  the  appendix  to  the  debate,  he 
calls  attention  particularly  to  that  extravagant  concep- 
tion of  baptism  which  makes  it  the  seal  of  the  covenant 
of  grace.  This  had  been  repeatedly  asserted  by  Mr. 
Walker,  as  well  as  by  Mr.  Ralston  in  his  letters,  and, 
indeed,  was  the  main  position  of  the  Paedobaptist  S3's- 
tem.  Adopting  the  definition  of  a  seal  as  *'  a  confirm- 
ative mark  or  attestation  of  some  covenant  agreement," 
he  shows  that  baptism  could  not  possibly  fulfill  this  office, 
and,  aware  that  the  best  method  of  confuting  error  is  to 
present  truth,  he  goes  on  to  exhibit  the  true  seal  of  the 
Christian  covenant : 

"  Under  the  New  Testament,"  says  he  (Appendix  to  De- 


36  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

bate,  p.  1 69-1 71),  "  the  only  seal  is  that  mark  or  impression 
which  the  spirit  of  God  makes  upon  the  heart  of  the  believer ; 
because  the  subjects  of  this  convenant  ^lxq  personally  and  not 
nationally  considered.  The  object  of  this  seal  is  the  per- 
sonal satisfaction  of  the  individual,  and  not  an  external  nnark 
set  upon  him  for  the  confirmation  of  others,  as  circumcision 
was  designed  more  for  the  satisfaction  of  others  than  for  the 
subject  of  it — to  convince  the  world  that  God  had  actually 
fulfilled  his  covenant  in  raising  up  a  Saviour  in  the  family 
of  Abraham.  Hence  the  seal  which  is  stamped  under  the 
New  Testament  is  altogether  confirmative  of  the  faith  of  the 
subject,  and  is  beautifully  described  in  these  words  :  '  To  him 
that  overcometh  will  I  give  of  the  hidden  manna,  and  will 
give  him  a  white  stone,  and  on  the  stone  a  name  written 
which  no  man  knoweth  saving"  he  that  receiveth  it.* 

*'  The  only  seal  spoken  of  in  the  New  Testament  as  the 
guarantee  and  property  of  all  Christians  is  '  this  seal  of  the 
Holy  Spirits  Neither  baptism  nor  the  Lord's  Supper  is 
ever  so  called,  nor  can  it  be  so  called  in  conformity  to  the 
meaning  of  words ;  yet  we  admit  that  both  are  confirm- 
ative of  the  faith  and  hope  of  the  Christian.  These  ordi- 
nances have,  for  a  long  time,  been  called  '  seals  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace  ;*  with  what  propriety,  I  confess,  I  never  yet 
could  see.  One  thing  is  certain :  there  is  no  authority  from 
the  Scriptures  for  so  calling  them.  Nor  can  I  understand 
how  any  human  being  could  use  them  as  seals,  or  as  '  scaling 
ordinances*  I  should  be  glad  to  see  a  scriptural  and  rational 
explanation  of  them  as  such.  I  do  not  wish  to  derogate,  nor 
do  I,  in  my  opinion,  derogate,  anything  from  either  their 
solemnity  or  importance  by  saying  that  I  do  not  conceive 
how  they  can  be  called  '  sealing  ordinances.'  Baptism  is  an 
ordinance  by  which  we  formally  profess  Christianity.  It  is 
the  first  constitutional  act  in  the  profession  of  Christianity. 
It  confirms  nothing  in  the  covenant  of  Christ  that  was  not 
confirmed  before.  It  is  no  stamp  nor  confirmative  mark  of 
that  covenant,  for  //  was  ratified  by  the  blood  of  Christ.  The 
baptized  person  carries  no  mark,  no  seal  of  confirmation,  that 


THE  EARNEST  OF  THE  SPIRIT,  37 

IS  visible  to  himself  or  to  others,  in  consequence  of  his  obe- 
dience to  this  rite.  The  Lord's  Supper  is  commemorative  of 
the  death  of  Christ,  and  an  expression  of  our  faith  in  his 
atoning  sacrifice,  by  which  he  has  made  peace,  and  by  which 
we  enjoy  the  peace  of  God  in  our  hearts.  It  confirms  our 
faith,  it  promotes  our  love,  it  cherishes  our  hope,  and  pro- 
duces benevolence  and  brotherly  kindness.  But  our  partici- 
pation of  it  confirms  nothing  in  the  covenant  of  Christ  that 
was  not  confirmed  before.  We  might,  with  as  much  pro- 
priety, call  all  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel  seals  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace  as  these.  The  whole  blessings  of  this  covenant 
have  been  as  much  enjoyed  by  many  who  are  now  in  heaven, 
who  could  not,  who  did  not  receive  these  ordinances,  as  by 
any  other  saints  in  heaven  or  on  earth.  The  thief  upon  the 
cross  had  as  full  an  enjoyment  of  them  as  any  other  in  an- 
cient or  modern  times.  And  many,  both  under  the  patri- 
archal and  Christian  age,  have  had  all  the  blessings  of  re- 
demption as  fully  bestowed  upon  them  as  any  who  have  been 
baptized  and  have  participated  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Now, 
if  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  were  the  seals  of  this 
covenant,  it  would  follow  that  those  who  never  had  received 
them  were  deprived  of  the  security  for  the  enjoyment  of  this 
covenant ;  and,  of  course,  had  no  confirmation  of  it  to  them. 
How  much  more  rationally  does  the  apostle  speak  of  that 
seal  which  all  true  Christians  enjoy  (Eph.  i.  13)  ! — '  In  whom 
also  after  that  ye  believed  ye  were  sealed  with  that  holy 
spirit  of  promise  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance 
until  the  redemption  of  the  purchased  possession  unto  the 
praise  of  his  glory.'     On  these  words  let  it  be  observed  : 

*'  I.  That  all  believers,  after  believing  the  gospel,  are  sealed 
by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

*'  2.  That  this  seal  or  impression  of  the  Spirit  is  their  sole 
earnest  or  pledge  until  they  enter  into  the  enjoyment  of  the 
inheritance  of  the  saints. 

"  3.  That  this  seal  is  a  suflficient  guarantee  and  earnest,  and 
requires  not  any  external  ordinance  to  perfect  it. 

"  This  testimony  is  further  confirmed  by  the  same  apostle  and 

4 


38  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL, 

in  the  same  epistle  (Eph.  iv.  30)  :  '  Grieve  not  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  re- 
demption.' 

^^  So  full,  so  uniform  in  his  testimony,  and  so  explicit  is  the 
apostle  upon  this  topic,  that  in  his  First  Epistle  to  the  Corin- 
thians (i,  22)  he  expresses  it  very  clearly  in  these  words :  '  God 
who  hath  also  sealed  us  and  given  us  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit 
in  our  hearts.'  This  inward  mark  or  seal  is  explained  to  be 
an  impressing  of  the  image  of  Him  who  hath  created  us 
anew.  2  Cor.  iii.  18. 

*'  Such  is  the  seal  of  which  the  New  Testament  speaks. 
This  is  sufficient  without  our  factitious  seals^  which  at  best 
are  a  prostitution  of  language  unwarrantable  in  the  highest 
degree,  and  tending  to  perplex  and  confuse,  rather  than  to 
compose  and  enlighten  the  mind  of  the  Christian. 

"  I  expect  to  hear  it  said  that  I  have  denied  the  '  seals  of 
the  covenant  of  grace'  to  maintain  my  cause.  Yet  the  truth 
is,  I  have  merely  volunteered  these  remarks.  My  views  are 
established  long  since  in  respect  to  the  subject  under  discus- 
sion ;  and  I*  deny  not,  but  contend  for  the  true  seal  of  the 
covenant  of  Christ,  which  I  maintain  in  a  few  words  to  have 
ever  been  the  same  in  substance^  it  never  having  had  any 
other  seal  than  that  of  the  Spirit** 

It  was  thus  that  Mr.  Campbell  ever  sought  for  truth 
alone,  and  ever  preferred  to  be  '*  taught  of  God"  in  the 
infallible  revelations  of  the  inspired  Word,  rather  than 
to  adopt  the  assumptions  and  dogmas  of  sectarian  the- 
ology. Had  he  sought,  indeed,  merely  to  expose  the 
existing  errors  of  religious  society,  his  work  would  have 
been  defective,  and  might  have  tended  to  promote  infi- 
delity rather  than  religion,  since  it  is  in  these  errors 
that  unbelief  seeks  its  chief  apology.  But  from  the 
first  his  work  was  positive.  The  process  of  demolition 
was  not  with  him  an  ultimate  end,  for  if  he  sought  to 
remove  the  awkward  and  rickety  structures  of  partyism, 


A  POSITIVE   CHANGE,  39 

or  the  broken  and  accumulated  rubbish  of  human  tra- 
dition, it  was  that  he  might  build  again  upon  their 
ancient  sites  the  bulwarks  and  towers  of  Zion.  He  en- 
deavored, therefore,  to  replace  human  creeds  and  con- 
fessions by  the  Divine  Testimony ;  sectarian  division  by 
brotherly  union  ;  clerical  tyranny  by  Christian  liberty  ; 
and  the  pretended  *'seal"  of  infant  sprinkling  by  the 
reception  of  that  *'  Holy  Spirit  of  promise"  which  is,  to 
every  true  believer,  the  abiding  earnest  of  a  heavenly 
inheritance. 


CHAPTER    II. 

The  Bible  and  the  clergy — Mr.  Campbell's  chief  aim — An  important  inter* 
view — Ministers'  meetings — Sidney  Rigdon— Seminary  discontinued — Mr. 
McCalla — Christian  Baptist— Its  character — The  clergy  and  their  meas- 
ures— Redstone  Association  foiled 

THE  Bible  which  set  the  soul  of  Luther  free  was 
itself  fastened  by  a  chain  in  the  cloister  at  Erfurth. 
In  like  manner,  each  religious  party  had  sought  to 
secure  the  Bible  within  its  own  narrow  sectarian  cell, 
not  indeed  by  a  metal  or  material  'chain,  but  by  the 
spiritual  fetters  of  partisan  interpretation.  The  clergy 
of  each  denomination,  arrogating  to  themselves  the 
claim  of  being  its  divinely-authorized  expounders, 
caused  it  to  speak  only  in  the  interests  of  their  sect, 
and  the  sacred  volume  was  made,  in  effect,  an  armory 
of  proof-texts  for  the  defence  of  each  particular  creed. 
Detached  sentences,  relating  to  matters  wholly  distinct 
and  irrelevant,  were  placed  in  imposing  array  in  sup- 
port of  positions  assumed  by  human  leaders ;  while  in 
the  pulpit  a  single  clause  of  a  text  would  often  be 
elaborated  into  a  speculation  or  fanciful  theory  which 
would  spread  itself  abroad  in  a  form  as  expanded  and 
misty  as  that  of  the  Genius  who,  in  Arabian  story, 
issued  from  the  fabled  vase  of  Solomon. 

The  people,  on  the  other  hand,  seemed  to  have 
quietly  surrendered  into  the  hands  of  the  clergy  all 
power  of  discrimination  and  all  independence  of  thought 
in  religious  matters.     It  seemed  in  vain  that  Luther  had 

40 


BIBLE  FULLY  RESTORED,  4I 

released  the  Bible  from  imprisonment  and  given  it  into 
the  hands  of  the  people  in  their  mother  tongue.  Cleri- 
cal art  had  succeeded  in  imposing  upon  it  a  seal  which 
the  laity  dared  not  break,  so  that  while  Protestants  were 
amused  with  the  idea  that  they  were  in  possession  of 
the  Bible,  this  cherished  distinction  became  little  else 
than  an  empty  boast,  so  long  as  they  could  be  per- 
suaded that  they  were  unable  to  understand  it. 

'*  What  is  the  great  difference,"  asked  Thomas  Campbell, 
''  between  withholding  the  Scriptures  from  the  laity,  as  the 
Romanists  do,  and- rendering  them  unintelligible  by  arbitrary 
interpretation,  forced  criticisms  and  fanciful  explanations,  as 
many  Protestants  do,  or  making  the  people  believe  that  they 
are  nearly  unintelligible  by  urging  the  necessity  of  what  is 
called  a  learned  clergy  to  explain  them  ?  If  a  translation  can 
only  be  understood  through  the  originals,  might  it  not  as  well 
have  been  withheld?  If  the  labors  of  a  learned  clergy  be 
still  necessary  to  render  a  translation  intelligible,  upon  whose 
skill  and  fidelity  as  translators  and  upon  whose  judgment  as 
expositors  the  people  must  still  rely,  and  to  whom  they  must 
still  look  up  as  their  religious  guides  and  dictators,  of  what 
use  is  a  translation  ?" 

The  sacred  volume,  thus  trammeled  as  it  was  among 
Protestant  parties,  had,  nevertheless,  as  in  the  case  of 
Luther,  set  free  from  spiritual  bondage  individuals  here 
and  there,  who  were  more  or  less  successful  in  their 
pleadings  for  reform.  Among  them  all,  however,  there 
had  been  no  one  who  took  hold  of  the  leading  errors  of 
the  time  with  so  bold  and  vigorous  a  grasp  as  Alexander 
Campbell.  It  was  his  great  aim  to  liberate  those  to 
whom  he  had  access  from  the  thraldom  of  human  tra- 
dition ;  to  restore  the  gospel  to  its  primitive  simplicity 
and  the  Church  to  its  pristine  unity ;  and  he  sought  to 
accomplish  these  noble  purposes  by  putting  men  really 
and  fully  into  possession  of  the  Bible.     In  this  respect 

4* 


42  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

his  work  was,  as  it  were,  complementary  to  that  of 
Luther.  The  German  Reformer  gave  to  the  people  the 
opportunity  of  reading  the  Scripture.  It  was  the  part 
of  Mr.  Campbell  to  convince  them  that  they  could  com" 
prekend  it — a  truth  which,  however  plainly  asserted  in 
Protestant  standards,  the  clergy  of  no  prominent  Paedo- 
baptist  party  were,  at  this  period,  vfiWmg  practically  to 
concede. 

Acting  himself  upon  the  principles  he  taught  to 
others,  he  was  accustomed  to  contemplate  the  Bible  as 
if  it  had  just  fallen  into  his  hands  from  heaven ;  and 
utterly  disregarding  all  systems  and  theories,  and  even 
his  own  previous  conclusions,  he  was  wont  to  study  it 
constantly  with  a  free  and  unbiased  mind.  He  had  thus 
made  surprising  attainments  in  his  knowledge  of  the 
word  of  God.  Contemplating  the  Bible  as  a  connected 
whole,  and  classifying  its  facts,  precepts  and  promises 
under  the  different  institutions.  Patriarchal,  Jewish  and 
Christian,  he  reached  enlarged  and  clear  views  of  their 
mutual  relations  and  dependence,  and  was  enabled  to 
eliminate  from  the  gospel  the  errors  with  which  modern 
Judaizing  teachers  had  corrupted  it.  Hence  his  views 
of  the  *' Sabbath"  and  his  "Sermon  on  the  Law." 
Hence  those  wide  and  comprehensive  views  of  the 
divine  plan  of  salvation  which  constantly  confounded 
mere  textuary  preachers.  Hence  that  freshness  and 
even  startling  novelty,  and  that  persuasive  truthfulness, 
which  pervaded  all  his  public  efforts,  and  which  every- 
where incited  men  to  religious  inquiry  and  diligent 
searching  of  the  Scriptures. 

His  debate  with  Mr.  Walker,  though  mainly  confined 
to  a  special  subject,  was  by  no  means  wanting  in  these 
characteristic  traits.  In  his  exposition  of  the  covenants ; 
the  temporal  and  temporar}'  nature  of  the  Jews'  religion  ; 


ADAMS  ON  BENTLEY.  43 

the  spirituality  and  glory  of  Christ's  kingdom  ;  the  dis- 
tinctions between  moral  and  positive  institutions ;  the 
definite  purpose  of  Christian  baptism  ;  the  inanity  of  hu- 
man traditions  and  opinions,  and  the  supreme  authority 
of  the  word  of  God,  he  threw  into  the  discussion 
thoughts  and  facts  as  new  to  the  religious  mind  of  that 
period  as  they  were  essential  to  true  conceptions  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ.  It  was  on  account  of  this  freedom  of 
investigation — this  undenominational  independence  of 
belief— ^Hci'dX  many,  even  of  the  Baptists,  when  the  de- 
bate was  published,  though  pleased  with  the  triumph  of 
their  cause,  remained  extremely  dubious  in  regard  to 
the  orthodoxy  of  their  champion.  Quite  a  number  of 
them,  however,  less  enslaved  to  party  principles  and 
more  earnest  in  pursuit  of  truth,  were  greatly  struck 
with  the  new  views  presented  and  the  new  spirit  in 
which  their  favorite  tenet  had  been  so  successfully 
defended. 

Among  these,  Adamson  Bentley,  of  Warren,  Ohio, 
deserves  particular  mention.  He  had,  eleven  years  be- 
fore, accidentally  met  with  Thomas  Campbell  and  his 
family,  as  formerly  related,  on  the  way  from  Phila- 
delphia, but  without  receiving  any  personal  introduction. 
Being  a  preacher  of  considerable  ability,  a  man  of  piety 
and  of  thoughtful,  inquiring  mind,  a  sincere  lover  of  the 
Bible  and  of  good  men,  he  had  attained  great  influence 
among  the  Baptist  churches  on  the  Western  Reserve — 
a  term  applied  to  a  large,  fertile  and  remarkably  level 
portion  of  Northern  Ohio,  which  had  been  reserved  in 
the  original  grant  of  territory  by  the  Government  in 
reference  to  certain  military  claims. 

Through  this  now  thickly-settled  region  quite  a  num- 
ber of  Baptist  churches  had  already  been  formed,  and 
Mr.  Bentley  had  recently  induced  a  number  of  their 


44  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL, 

preachers  to  hold  annually  what  were  called  '*  ministers' 
meetings,"  for  the  purpose  of  conversing  upon  the 
Scriptures  and  upon  their  own  religious  progress,  and 
improving  each  other  by  criticisms  upon  each  other's 
sermons.  In  these  meetings  he  acted  as  secretary,  and 
contributed  largely  to  render  them  profitable  and  inter- 
esting. It  was  also  agreed  upon  that  the  churches 
should  unite  to  form  an  association,  and  on  the  30th  day 
of  August,  1820,  a  little  more  than  two  months  after  the 
Walker  Debate,  the  messengers  appointed  by  the 
churches  met  and  constituted  the  "  Mahoning  Baptist 
Association."  In  the  spring  of  1821,  Mr.  Bentley  ob- 
tained a  copy  of  the  published  Walker  Debate,  with 
which  he  was  highly  pleased  ;  and  learning  that  the  Red- 
stone Association  was  opposed  to  Mr.  Campbell  and  was 
endeavoring  to  injure  him,  he  said  to  his  friends  that,  in 
his  opinion,  Mr.  Campbell  had  done  more  for  the  Bap- 
tists than  any  man  in  the  West,  and  that  he  intended, 
on  the  first  opportunity,  to  go  and  pay  him  a  visit. 
This  intention  he  shortly  fulfilled,  and  the  interview  led 
to  very  important  consequences.  It  is  thus  detailed  by 
Mr.  Campbell  (Mil.  Harb.  for  1848,  p.  523)  : 

"In  the  summer  of  1S21,  while  sitting  in  my  portico  after 
dinner,  two  gentlemen  in  the  costume  of  clergymen,  as  then 
technically  called,  appeared  in  my  yard,  advancing  to  the 
house.  The  elder  of  them,  on  approaching  me,  first  intro- 
duced himself,  saying,  'My  name,  sir,  is  Adamson  Bentley; 
this  is  Elder  Sidney  Rigdon,  both  of  Warren,  Ohio.'  On 
entering  my  house,  and  on  being  introduced  to  my  family, 
after  some  refreshment,  Elder  Bentley  said,  '  Having  just 
read  your  debate  with  Mr.  John  Walker  of  our  State  of  Ohio, 
with  considerable  interest,  and  having  been  deputed  by  the 
Mahoning  Baptist  Association  last  year  to  ordain  some  elders 
and  to  set  some  churches  in  order,  which  brought  us  within 


MAHONING  ASSOCIATION.  45 

little  more  than  a  day's  ride  of  you,  we  concluded  to  m^ke  a 
special  visit,  to  inquire  of  you  particularly  on  sundry  matters 
of  much  interest  to  us  set  forth  in  the  debate,  and  would  be 
glad,  when  perfectly  at  your  leisure,  to  have  an  opportunity 
to  do  so.'  I  replied  that,  as  soon  as  the  afternoon  duties  of 
my  seminary  were  discharged,  I  would  take  pleasure  in 
hearing  from  them  fully  on  such  matters. 

"  After  tea,  in  the  evening,  we  commenced,  and  prolonged 
our  discourse  till  the  next  morning.  Beginning  with  the  bap- 
tism that  John  preached,  we  went  back  to  Adam  and  forward 
to  the  final  judgment.  The  dispensations — Adamic,  Abra- 
hamic,  Jewish  and  Christian — passed  and  repassed  before  us. 
Mount  Sinai  in  Arabia,  Mount  Zion,  Mount  Tabor,  the  Red 
Sea  and  the  Jordan,  the  Passovers  and  the  Pentecosts,  the 
Law  and  the  Gospel,  but  especially  the  ancient  order  of  things 
and  the  modern,  occasionally  engaged  our  attentibn. 

"  On  parting  the  next  day,  Sidney  Rigdon,  with  all  appar- 
ent candor,  said,  if  he  had  within  the  last  year  taught  and  pro- 
mulgated from  the  pulpit  one  error,  he  had  a  thousand.  At 
that  time  he  was  the  great  orator  of  the  Mahoning  Associa- 
tion, though  in  authority  with  the  people  second  always  to 
Adamson  Bentley.  I  found  it  expedient  to  caution  them  not 
to  begin  to  pull  down  anything  they  had  builded  until  they 
had  reviewed  again  and  again  what  they  had  heard  ;  nor  even 
then  rashly  and  without  much  consideration.  Fearing  they 
might  undo  their  influence  with  the  people,  I  felt  constrained 
to  restrain  rather  than  to  urge  them  on  in  the  work  of  refor- 
mation. 

"  With  many  an  invitation  to  visit  the  Western  Reserve, 
and  with  many  an  assurance  of  a  full  and  candid  hearing  on 
the  part  of  the  uncommitted  community,  and  an  immediate 
access  to  the  ears  of  the  Baptist  churches  within  the  sphere 
of  their  influence,  we  took  the  parting  hand.  They  went  on 
their  way  rejoicing,  and  in  the  course  of  a  single  year  pre- 
pared their  whole  Association  to  hear  us  with  earnestness  and 
candor. 

*'  Ministers'  meetings  once  a  year  in  different  parts  of  that 


46  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

secition  of  Ohio,  for  the  purpose  of  making  public  discourses 
before  the  people,  and  then  for  criticising  them  in  condone 
clerum^  and  for  propounding  and  answering  questions  on  the 
sacred  Scriptures,  were  about  this  time  instituted  and  conducted 
with  great  harmony  and  much  advantage.  I  became  a  regu- 
lar attendant,  and  found  in  them  much  pleasure  and  profit. 

"  They  were  conducted  in  the  following  manner :  A,  B,  C, 
and  D  were  appointed  to  address  the  public  assembled  on  the 
occasion.  A  at  a  given  time  delivered  a  discourse,  B  suc- 
ceeded him.  In  the  evening  all  the  speakers  and  other  min- 
isters met  in  an  appointed  room,  and  in  the  presejice  of  the 
more  elderly  and  interested  brethren,  and  those  looking  for- 
ward to  public  stations  in  the  Church,  the  discourses  of  A  and 
B  were  taken  up  and  examined  by  all  the  speakers  present, 
and  sometimes  strictly  reviewed  as  to  the  matter  of  them,  the 
form  of  them  and  the  mode  of  delivering  them.  Doctrinal 
questions  and  expositions  of  Scripture  occasionally  were  in- 
troduced and  debated.  The  next  day  C  and  D  addressed  the 
assembled  audience,  and  so  on,  until  all  were  heard  and  all 
had  passed  through  the  same  ordeal.  These  meetings  were 
not  appreciated  too  highly,  as  the  sequel  developed,  inasmuch 
as  they  disabused  the  minds  of  the  Baptist  ministry  in  the 
Mahoning  Association  of  much  prejudice,  and  prepared  the 
way  for  a  very  great  change  of  views  and  practice  all  over 
those  3,000,000  acres  of  nine  counties  which  constitute  the 
Western  Reserve." 

On  the  14th  of  July  of  this  year  (1821),  about  the 
time  of  Mr.  Bentley's  visit,  another  daughter  was  born 
to  Mr.  Campbell.  As  her  mother  greatly  admired  the 
articles  he  had  written  against  social  and  fashionable 
follies  on  his  first  arrival  at  Washington,  and  to  which 
he  had  appended  the  signature  of  Clarinda,  she  de- 
sired that  this  name  should  be  given  to  the  child,  which 
was  accordingly  done.  This  little  incident  furnishes  a 
good  index  to  the  character  of  this  excellent  woman, 
who  highly  approved  of  plainness   and  simplicity  in 


SID  NET  BIGDON.  47 

dress  and  manners,  and  who,  like  her  father,  was  utterly 
opposed  to  the  innovations  which  society  was  gradually 
making  in  the  simple  customs  and  modes  of  life  of  the 
earlv  settlers. 

Mr.  Campbell's  attendance  at  the  "  ministers'  meet- 
ings" referred  to  above  gave  to  them  a  new  and  a 
peculiar  interest.  His  extensive  knowledge  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  his  clear  views  of  the  gospel  and  its  institu- 
tions, enabled  him  to  resolve  many  difficulties  presented 
by  the  preachers.  He  led  them  to  perceive  that  by 
abandoning  the  fragmentary  and  textuary  plan  of  con- 
sulting and  expounding  Scripture,  and  by  taking  it  in 
its  proper  connection,  it  became  its  own  interpreter  and 
revealed  all  its  truth  to  the  honest  heart.  Especially 
did  he  mark  out  clearly  the  important  distinction  be- 
tween faith  and  opinion,  previously  but  dimly  perceived, 
showing  that  men's  conjectures  and  theories  respecting 
matters  of  which  the  Bible  does  not  speak  should  never 
be  made  terms  of  communion  or  be  allowed  to  create 
religious  differences. 

During  this  period,  Mr.  Campbell  continued  to  visit 
Pittsburg  occasionally,  and  being  still  connected  with 
the  Redstone  Association,  was  accustomed  to  preach 
for  the  Baptist  church  there,  which  had  now  increased 
to  more  than  one  hundred  members,  many  of  whom 
were  favorable  to  reformation.  In  1822,  through  Mr. 
Campbell's  influence,  Sidney  Rigdon  was  induced  to 
accept  a  call  from  this  church  to  become  its  pastor. 
He  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability  as  a  speaker, 
possessing  great  fluency  and  a  lively  fancy  which  gave 
him  great  popularity  as  an  orator.  He  was  brother-in- 
law  to  Adamson  Bentley,  both  having  married  daughters 
of  a  Mr.  Brooks,  of  Warren.  As  he  professed  to  be 
favorable  to  the  Reformation,  Mr.  Campbell  was  desir- 


48  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

Oils  of  introducing  him  to  Walter  Scott,  who,  at  this 
time,  was  still  delivering  weekly  lectures  on  the  New 
Testament  to  the  little  church  over  which  Mr.  Forrester 
had  presided.  Mr.  Campbell  desired  that  the  two 
churches  should  become  united,  but  these  communities 
continued  for  a  considerable  time  rather  shy  of  each 
other,  each  being  sensitive  with  regard  to  its  own 
peculiarities. 

On  the  loth  November  of  this  year  (1822),  Mrs. 
Campbell  presented  her  husband  with  a  son,  who  was 
named  John  Brown,  but  who  died  upon  the  day  of  his 
birth.  Soon  after,  Mr.  Campbell's  own  health  began  to 
suffer  from  the  confinement  and  labors  of  Buffalo  Semin- 
ary, and  as,  from  his  enlarged  intercourse  with  the  Bap- 
tist churches,  the  demand  for  his  services  as  a  preacher 
was  becoming  constantly  more  frequent  and  more  urgent, 
he  concluded  to  discontinue  the  school.  Although  he 
had  always  plenty  of  pupils,  and  often  was  unable  to 
receive  all  that  desired  to  come,  he  found  that  it  did  not 
subserve  to  any  great  extent,  for  reasons  formerly  given, 
the  chief  purpose  for  which  he  had  established  it,  which 
was  the  preparation  of  young  men  to  labor  in  behalf  of 
the  primitive  gospel.  Having  realized  in  publishing 
the  Debate  with  Mr.  Walker  the  power  of  the  press  to 
disseminate  his  views,  as  he  was  now  in  consequence 
often  receiving  letters  of  inquiry  and  solicitation  for 
visits  and  preaching  from  many  quarters,  he  began  to 
think  of  issuing,  in  monthly  parts,  a  work  specially  de- 
voted to  the  interests  of  the  proposed  Reformation. 

This  project  marks  the  era  of  a  very  important 
change  in  Mr.  Campbell's  religious  history.  The 
failure  of  his  father's  endeavors  and  his  own  to  effect 
a  reformation  of  the  existing  parties  upon  the  principles 
of  the   Declaration   and  Address,  had  caused  him  to 


A    WIDER  FIELD.  49 

despair  of  ever  seeing  a  favorable  and  extended  change 
in  religious  society.  He  had  still  labored,  it  is  true,  in 
behalf  of  fhe  cause  he  had  espoused,  but  it  was  without 
the  expectation  of  being  able  to  do  much  more  than 
erect  a  single  congregation  with  which  he  could  enjoy 
the  social  institutions  of  the  gospel.  His  aims  were  at 
that  time  quite  limited.  He  had  not  the  remotest  idea 
of  assuming  the  position  of  a  public  reformer,  or  of  in- 
volving himself  in  the  strifes  of  religious  society.  In- 
fluential Baptists,  such  as  Deacon  Withington,  of  New 
York,  and  Deacon  Shields,  of  Philadelphia,  impressed 
with  his  talents,  had  urged  him  at  the  time  of  his  visit 
to  those  cities  in  1815  to  settle  in  one  of  them ;  but  he 
declined  on  the  ground  that  he  did  not  think  ^ny  of  the 
churches  there  would  submit  to  the  primitive  order  of 
things,  and  said  that  he  would  rather  live  and  die  in 
the  backwoods  than  be  the  occasion  of  creating  divis- 
ions among  them.  He  therefore  preferred  to  pursue 
the  occupation  of  a  farmer,  and  to  instruct  gratuitously 
the  people  within  the  range  of  his  personal  influence. 
It  was  not  until  after  he  saw  the  effect  of  the  debate 
into  which  he  was  reluctantly  drawn  with  Mr.  Walker 
that  he  began  to  take  new  views  of  his  position,  and  to 
cherish,  for  the  first  time,  the  hope  that  something 
might  be  done  upon  a  more  extended  scale  to  rouse  the 
people  from  their  spiritual  lethargy.  Guided  providen- 
tially step  by  step,  he  had  been  brought  to  an  eminence 
from  which  he  could  survey  the  wide  field  in  which  he 
was  destined  to  labor,  and  he  began  at  once  to  nerve 
himself  for  the  undertaking. 

After  conferring  with  his  father  and  with  Walter 
Scott  and  other  friends,  who  warmly  approved  his  de- 
sign, he  issued  in  the  spring  of  1823  a  prospectus  for 
the  work,  which  he  proposed  to  call  ^'Th^  Christian 

TOL.  II. — D  5 


50  MEMOIRS    OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

Baptist" — a  title  adopted  not  without  some  debate, 
since  the  term  '*  Baptist"  was  a  party  designation.  As 
the  reformers  were,  however,  at  this  time  identified  with 
the  Baptists,  it  was  thought  expedient,  in  order  to  avoid 
offending  religious  prejudice,  and  to  give  greater  cur- 
rency to  the  principles  which  were  to  be  presented,  to 
make  this  concession  so  far  as  the  name  of  the  paper 
was  concerned,  qualifying  ''Baptist"  by  the  word 
•'Christian."  In  the  prospectus  the  nature  and  ob- 
jects of  the  publication  were  candidly  and  clearly 
stated,  as  follows : 

"The  'Christian  Baptist*  shall  espouse  the  cause  of  no  re- 
ligious sect,  excepting  that  ancient  sect  '  called  Christians 
first  at  Antioch.'  Its  sole  object  shall  be  the  eviction  of  truth 
and  the  exposing  of  error  in  doctrine  and  practice.  The 
editor,  acknowledging  no  standard  of  religious  faith  or 
works  other  than  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  and  the  lat- 
ter as  the  only  standard  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  will, 
intentionally  at  least,  oppose  nothing  which  it  contains  and 
recommend  nothing  which  it  does  not  enjoin.  Having  no 
worldly  interest  at  stake  from  the  adoption  or  reprobation  of 
any  articles  of  faith  or  religious  practice,  having  no  gift  nor 
religious  emolument  to  blind  his  eyes  or  to  pervert  his  judg- 
ment, he  hopes  to  manifest  that  he  is  an  impartial  advocate 
of  truth." 

Although  the  number  of  subscribers  at  first  obtained 
was  not  large,  he  determined  to  go  on  with  the  work, 
and,  with  his  usual  energy  and  enterprise,  having  con- 
cluded to  set  up  a  printing  establishment  near  his  own 
house,  he  purchased  the  necessary  type,  presses,  etc., 
and  erected  a  building  for  the  purpose  near  the  creek- 
fording,  at  the  foot  of  the  cemetery  hill.  Engaging, 
then,  the  services  of  some  practical  printers,  his  quick 
apprehension  soon  made  him  familiar  with  all  the  de- 


CHALLENGE  ACCEPTED.  51 

tails  of  the  office,  which  thenceforth  occupied  much  of 
his  attention.  He  became  an  expert  proof-reader; 
supplied  regularly  the  paper  and  materials  needed,  and 
continued  to  conduct  the  printing  business  with  the 
greatest  economy  and  with  surprising  activity  and  suc- 
cess uninterruptedly  from  this  time  forward  for  more 
than  forty  years.  It  may  be  here  mentioned  that  dur- 
ing the  first  seven  years,  ending  July  4th,  1830,  he 
issued  of  his  own  works,  from  his  little  country  printing- 
office,  no  less  than  forty-six  thousand  volumes. 

It  was  in  the  month  of  May  of  this  year,  while  pre- 
paring for  the  printing  of  the  '*  Christian  Baptist,**  that 
Mr.  Campbell  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  McCalla,  a 
Presbyterian  preacher  of  Augusta,  Kentucky,  intimating 
his  willingness  to  accept  the  challenge  or  invitation 
given  at  the  close  of  the  Walker  debate.  Mr. 
McCalla  had  been  a  lawyer,  and  had  quite  a  high 
reputation  among  the  Presbyterians  for  his  argument- 
ative powers.  It  was  therefore  greatly  desired  by  his 
friends  and  by  the  Paedobaptist  community  that  he 
should  have  an  opportunity  to  repair,  if  possible,  the 
injury  which  had  accrued  to  their  cause  by  the  gener- 
ally admitted  failure  of  Mr.  Walker. 

After  ascertaining  Mr.  McCalla's  standing,  Mr. 
Campbell  agreed  to  meet  him.  Mr.  McCalla  then 
proposed  twenty-one  questions  to  Mr.  Campbell,  with  a 
view  to  some  modification  of  the  proposition  offered. 
This  led  to  a  correspondence,  which  was  continued  to 
the  close  of  the  following  September,  and  which  was 
not  always  distinguished  by  that  becoming  courtesy 
which  marked  the  first  communications.  From  Mr. 
Campbell's  experience  with  the  clergy  thus  far,  and  his 
views  of  their  position  and  influence  in  the  religious 
world,  he  did  not,  as  may  well  be  supposed,  entertain 


52  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

the  most  reverential  feelings  toward  them ;  and  as  they 
on  their  part  naturally  felt  indignant  at  the  efforts  made 
to  weaken  their  authority,  it  became  difficult  for  them, 
in  their  intercourse  with  Mr.  Campbell,  to  avoid  betray- 
ing the  hostile  feelings  by  which  they  were  governed. 
Mr.  McCalla  accordingly  did  not  fail  in  the  course  of 
the  correspondence  to  refer  to  various  things  slander- 
ously reported  of  Mr.  Campbell,  and  to  intimate  that 
until  such  rumors  were  corrected,  **  no  minister  of  the 
divine  Saviour  could  desire  any  other  intercourse  with 
him  than  as  an  adversary."  He  consented,  however, 
finally  to  meet  Mr.  Campbell  on  the  proposition  an- 
nounced at  the  close  of  the  Walker  debate,  but  without 
agreeing  to  any  specific  regulations  or  settled  order  for 
the  discussion.  Mr.  Campbell,  nevertheless,  agreed  to 
meet  him,  and,  in  his  letter* closing  the  correspondence 
said : 

*'  It  appears  that  your  conscience  was  not  too  tender  on  the 
subject  of  my  character  for  orthodoxy  and  piety  to  prevent 
you  from  insinuating,  nay,  declaring,  that '  Dr.  Priestley's  dis- 
ciple was  my  favorite  author,*  contrary  to  all  evidence  or  fact 
from  anything  in  my  writings,  or  from  any  respectable  source. 
You  shall,  perhaps,  soon  know  that  I  have  no  favorite  author 
in  religion  except  one,  and  that  man  who  says  I  am  a  first  or 
second-hand  disciple  of  Priestley  or  of  any  other  Socinian 
author,  is  a  man  of  no  piety  or  respectability  of  character, 
nor  is  there  a  man  living  who  can  say,  or  dare  say,  in  my 
presence,  that  I  ever  expressed  a  sentiment  derogatory  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  as  a  Divine  Redeemer — as  Emmanuel,  God  with 
us.  Such  insinuations  may  be  circulated  in  Kentucky  by 
those  who  would  wish  to  impair  my  influence  in  supporting 
a  truth  more  hated  by  those  of  the  *  orthodox  and  pious*  than 
Socinianism,  but  here  we  regard  them  not.  As  to  my  piety, 
I  know  I  have  nothing  to  boast  of;  God  alone  is  judge.  As 
to  my  external  deportment,  men  can  judge ;  and  whenever 


''CHRISTIAN  BAPTIST,"  53 

you  bring  forward  any  specific  charge  of  immorality  or  un- 
christian deportment,  we  shall  refute  it.  ...  I  request  that 
you  will  meet  me  at  Washington  the  14th  day  of  October,  in 
order  to  arrange  the  business,  for  you  have  not  agreed  to 
meet  me  on  any  of  the  terms  proposed  in  my  last.  At  least, 
you  have  not  informed  me  so.  But  you  have  told  me  that 
you  are  to  meet  me  as  an  adversary — as  '  ho  Satanas.'  Well, 
I  hope  that  you  will  remember  that  when  Michael,  the  arch- 
angel, disputed  with  the  adversary  about  the  body  of  Moses, 
he  durst  not  bring  against  him  a  railing  accusation.  As  you 
are  celebrated  for  piety  and  orthodoxy,  and  I  for  the  want  of 
them,  a  great  deal  w^ill  be  expected  of  you  and  very  little 
from  your  humble  servant,  A.  Campbell." 

During  the  period  of  this  correspondence,  clerical 
enmity  and  detraction  seemed  to  be  constantly  accumu- 
lating against  Mr.  Campbell,  who,  nevertheless,  confi- 
dent in  the  possession  and  in  the  power  of  truth,  man- 
fully braved  the  storm,  and  in  the  *'  Christian  Baptist," 
the  first  number  of  which  appeared  4th  July,  1823,  fear- 
lessly began  such  an  exposition  of  primitive  Christianity 
and  of  existing  corruptions  as  was  well  calculated  to 
startle  the  entire  religious  community.  This,  indeed, 
was  what  he  designed  to  do,  for  he  conceived  the  peo- 
ple to  be  so  completely  under  the  dominion  of  the  clergy 
at  this  time  that  nothing  but  bold  and  decisive  mea- 
sures could  arouse  them  to  proper  inquiry.  In  his 
Preface,  therefore,  he  openly  announced  his  intention 
to  pursue  a  perfectly  independent  course. 

"We  expect  to  prove,'*  said  he,  "whether  a  paper  per- 
fectly independent,  free  from  any  controlling  jurisdiction  ex- 
cept the  Bible,  will  be  read,  or  whether  it  will  be  blasted  by 
the  poisonous  breath  of  sectarian  zeal  and  of  an  aspiring 
priesthood."  His  mottoes,  too,  prefixed  to  the  work,  were 
characteristic :  "  Style  no  man  on  earth  your  father,  for  he 
alone  is  your  Father  who  is  in  heaven,  and  all  ye  are  brethren. 

6* 


54  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

Assume  not  the  title  of  Rabbi,  for  ye  have  only  One  Teacher ; 
neither   assume   the   title  of  leader,  for  ye  have  only  One 
Leader — the    Messiah."     Matt,    xxiii.    8-10.      "  Prove    all  * 
things,  hold  fast  that  which  is  good." — Paul  the  Apostle. 

"  What  a  glorious  freedom  of  thought  do  the  apostles 
recommend !  And  how  contemptible  in  their  account  is  a 
blind  and  implicit  faith  !  May  all  Christians  use  this  liberty 
of  judging  for  themselves  in  matters  of  religion,  and  allow  it 
to  one  another,  and  to  all  mankind." — Benson, 

He  commenced  the  work  with  a  brief  view  of  the 
Christian  religion  as  first  established,  showing  the  lofty 
expectations  entertained  from  prophecy  in  relation  to 
the  advent  of  the  Messiah,  depicting  his  meek  and  lowly 
character  as  he  actually  appeared,  and  the  glorious 
victory  he  accomplished  as  a  suffering  Saviour.  He 
dwelt  upon  the  perfection  of  his  teachings,  and  upon 
the  conduct  and  life  of  the  first  disciples  and  of  the 
apostles  his  ambassadors  to  the  world,  so  diflferent  from 
those  of  modern  religious  teachers.  He  then  described 
the  primitive  churches  as  to  their  bond  of  union,  the 
faith  and  love  of  Christ ;  their  independence ;  their 
mode  of  acting  in  a  church  capacity  and  not  through 
independent  societies,  and  their  devotion  to  good  works. 
With  this  picture  he  then  contrasted  that  of  modern 
Christianity,  with  its  corruptions  and  divisions. 

So  great,  at  this  period,  was  the  antagonism  between 
Mr.  Campbell  and  the  clergy  that  he  was  induced  to 
animadvert  with  great  severity  upon  their  claims  and 
their  proceedings.  Having  entrenched  himself  in  the 
position  that  *'  nothing  was  to  be  admitted  as  a  matter 
of  faith  or  duty  for  which  there  could  not  be  produced 
a  divine  precept  or  a  Scripture  precedent,"  he  made 
from  this  impregnable  fastness  many  a  sharp  foray  into 
the  territories  over  which  the  clergy  had  so  long  exer- 


THE   CLERGY  CENSURED.  55 

cised  almost  undisputed  sway.  That  caustic  sarcasm 
and  playful  irony  to  which  he  was  naturally  disposed, 
but  to  which  decorum  forbade  him  to  give  utterance  as 
a  preacher ^  found  expression  through  the  pen  of  the 
editor^  and  much  of  the  earlier  numbers  of  the  paper 
was  devoted  to  lively  sketches  of  the  working  of  the 
clerical  machinery  in  the  manufacture  of  preachers ;  in 
the  securing  and  enlarging  of  salaries ;  in  the  obtaining 
of  high  positions  and' of  pompous  titles,  and  in  the  ex- 
tending of  authority  by  means  of  *'  confederations  in  the 
form  of  general  councils,  synods,  assemblies,  associa- 
tions and  conferences."  He  was  at  some  pains  to  ex- 
pose, from  official  documents,  the  large  expense  and 
small  avails  of  missions  to  the  heathen  as  conducted  by 
particular  sects,  and  the  petty  methods  resorted  to  for 
the  purpose  9f  obtaining  contributions,  which  he  con- 
ceived to  be  wholly  unworthy  the  character  of  the  gos- 
pel. Costly  meeting-houses  and  organs;  selling  of 
pews;  "missionary  wheels,"  **  stalls"  and  **  boxes;" 
priestly  tithes  and  offerings,  with  various  other  features 
of  modern  Christianity,  were  commented  on  with  unex- 
ampled freedom,  pungency  and  vigor.  Mr.  Campbell 
had  become  fully  convinced,  both  by  observation  and 
experience,  that  religious  bigotry  could  not  be  overcome 
while  the  clergy  were  permitted  to  use  their  usurped 
and  factitious  power  in  fostering  and  supporting  it,  and 
he  therefore  sought  to  deprive  them  of  an  influence 
which  they  had  consecrated  to  partyism.  In  order  to 
accomplish  this,  he  had  recourse  to  the  Bible  alone, 
being  satisfied  that  the  sectarian  spirit  which  then  con- 
trolled religious  society  could  be  cast  out  only  in  the 
name  of  Christ ;  and,  though  he  foresaw  the  violence 
of  the  conflict,  he  justly  thought,  to  use  the  language  of 
Macaulay,  that  *'the  miseries  of  continued  possession 


56  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

were  more  to  be  dreaded  than  the  struggles  of  the  tre- 
mendous exorcism," 

He  continued  to  fulfill  his  task,  therefore,  with  unfalter- 
ing faith  and  courage.  Neither  the  calumnies  by  which 
his  opponents  sought  to  excite  public  odium  against 
him,  nor  the  gentle  remonstrances  and  cautions  of  timid 
friends,  availed  to  move  him  from  his  purpose.  Thomas 
Campbell,  alarmed  at  the  adventurous  boldness  of  his 
son  in  handling  so  roughly  things  and  persons  hitherto 
considered  as  sacred  by  the  people,  expostulated  often, 
and  sought  by  contributing  to  the  paper  milder  essays 
(signed  T.  W.)  to  soften  or  extenuate  censures  whose 
substantial  justness  he  could  not  but  acknowledge.  But 
the  honest  and  candid  utterances  of  a  soul  earnest  for 
truth  and  right  could  not  be  repressed.  Utterly  deny- 
ing the  propriety  of  the  distinction  between  the  clergy 
and  laity,  Mr.  Campbell  believed  that  the  so-called 
*«  clergy"  had  taken  away  the  key  of  knowledge  from 
*'  the  people,"  and  "  kept  them  in  ignorance"  by  assum- 
ing to  be  the  only  authorized  expounders  of  the  will  of 
God.  He  found  them,  therefore,  directly  in  the  way 
of  the  accomplishment  of  his  great  purpose,  which  was 
to  convince  the  people  that  they  could  understand  the 
Scriptures  for  themselves.  It  was  necessary,  accord- 
ingly, that  the  claims  of  the  clergy  should  be  disproved, 
and  their  assumed  authority  overthrown,  before  the 
people  could  be  released  from  spiritual  bondage. 

"  We  wish/'  said  he,  "  cordially  wish,  to  take  the  New 
Testament  out  of  the  abuses  of  the  clergy  and  put  it  into  the 
hands  of  the  people.  And  to  do  this  is  no  easy  task,  as  the 
clergy  have  formed  the  opinions  of  nine-tenths  of  Christendom 
before  they  could  form  an  opinion  of  their  own.  They  have, 
in  order  to  raise  the  people's  admiration  of  them  for  their  own 
advantage,  taught  them  in  creeds,  in  sermons,  in  catechisms, 


EXPOSURE  OF  ABUSES.  57 

in  tracts,  in  pamphlets,  in  primers,  in  folios,  that  they  alone 
can  expound  the  New  Testament — that,  without  them,  people 
are  either  almost  or  altogether  destitute  of  the  means  of  grace. 
They  must  lead  in  the  devotion  of  the  people ;  they  must  con- 
secrate their  prayers,  their  praise ;  and  latterly,  they  must  even 
open  a  cattle-show  or  an  exhibition  of  manufactures  with 
prayers  and  religious  pageantry  !" 

It  was  this  view  of  the  position  and  doings  of  the 
clergy  that  led  Mr.  Campbell  to  condemn  Sunday- 
schools,  missionary,  education  and  even  Bible  societies, 
as  THEN  conducted,  because  he  thought  them  perverted 
to  sectarian  purposes.  In  Sunday-schools  the  denomi- 
national catechism  was  then  diligently  taught,  and  the 
effort  was  made  to  imbue  the  minds  of  the  children  with 
partisan  theology.  Missionary  societies  then  labored 
to  propagate  the  tenets  of  the  party  to  which  each  be- 
longed, and  even  Bible  societies  seemed  to  him  to  be 
made  a  means  of  creating  offices  and  salaries  for  a  few 
clerical  managers,  who  exercised  entire  control. 

'^ .  .  .  I  do  not  oppose,  intentionally  at  least,"  said  he 
(Christian  Baptist,  vol.  i.,  p.  208),  *^the  scriptural  plan  of 
converting  the  world.  .  .  .  My  opponents  do  represent  me 
as  opposing  the  means  of  converting  the  world,  not  wishing 
to  discriminate,  in  my  case  at  least,  between  a  person  oppos- 
ing the  abuses  of  a  good  cause  and  the  cause  itself."  Of  Bible 
societies  he  remarks :  ^^  In  the  multiplication  of  copies  of  the 
Scriptures  I  do  rejoice,  although  I  do  conceive  even  the  best 
of  all  good  works  is  managed  in  a  way  not  at  all  comporting 
with  the  precepts  of  the  volume  itself.  And  shall  we  not 
oppose  the  abuses  of  any  principle  because  of  the  excellency 
of  the  principle  itself.^' 

His  chief  objection,  then,  to  the  instrumentalities  em- 
ployed for  missionary  and  other  religious  purposes  was 
that,  in  the  hands  of  the  clergy,  they  were  perverted  to 


58  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

denominational  aggrandizement  and  to  the  perpetuation 
of  the  yoke  which  they  had  imposed  upon  the  people. 

His  view,  on  the  other  hand,  was  that  God's  revela- 
tion was  complete,  and  that  it  was  able,  as  it  affirms  of 
itself,  **  to  make  the  man  of  God  perfect  and  thoroughly 
furnished  to  every  good  work."  He  taught,  further- 
more, that  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  formed  and 
organized  according  to  this  word,  with  its  elders  and 
deacons,  was  appointed  to  be  *'the  pillar  and  ground" 
or  support  "of  the  truth,"  and  that  such  a  society  is 
**the  highest  tribunal  on  earth  to  which  an  individual 
Christian  can  appeal," 

"  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  said  he,  "  is  the  absolute -Mon- 
arch on  whose  shoulders  is  the  government,  and  in  whose 
hands  are  the  reins.  That  his  w/7/,  published  in  the  New 
Testament,  is  the  sole  law  of  the  Church ;  and  that  every 
society  or  assembly  meeting  once  every  week  in  one  place, 
according  to  this  law,  ©r  the  commandments  of  this  King, 
requires  no  other  head,  king,  lawgiver,  ruler  or  lord  than  this 
Mighty  One;  no  other  law,  rule,  formula,  canon  or  decree  than 
his  written  word;  no  judicatory,  court  or  tribunal  other  than 
^\^  judgment-seat  of  Christ^  (Vol.  i.,  p.  69.)  Again,  page 
205,  he  says  :  "  I  am  taught  from  the  Record  itself  to  describe 
a  Church  of  Christ  in  the  following  words :  It  is  a  society  of 
disciples  professing  to  believe  the  one  grand  fact,  the  Messiah- 
ship  of  Jesus,  voluntarily  submitting  to  his  authority  and  guid- 
ance, having  all  of  them  in  their  baptism  expressed  their  faith 
in  him  and  allegiance  to  him,  and  statedly  meeting  together 
in  one  place  to  walk  in  all  his  commandments  and  ordinances. 
This  society,  with  its  bishop  or  bishops,  and  its  deacon  or 
deacons,  as  the  case  may  require,  is  perfectly  independent  of 
any  tribunal  on  earth  called  ecclesiastical.  It  knows  nothing 
of  superior  or  inferior  church  judicatories,  and  acknowledges 
no  laws,  no  canons  or  government  other  than  that  of  the  Mon- 
arch of  the  Universe  and  his  laws.     This  Church,  having 


I 


RADICAL  REFORMS.  59 

now  committed  unto  it  the  oracles  of  God,  is  adequate  to  all 
the  purposes  of  illumination  and  reformation  which  entered 
into  the  design  of  its  founder." 

Such  being  his  view  of  the  position  occupied  by  a  Church 
of  Christ,  he  found  in  this  an  additional  argument  against 
such  missionary  and  other  societies  as  acted  independently 
I  of  church  control.    "  Every  Christian,"  said  he  (vol.  ii.,  p.  97), 

^^  who  understands  the  nature  and  design,  the  excellence  and 
glory,  of  the  institution  called  the  Church  of  yesus  Christy 
will  lament  to  see  its  glory  transferred  to  a  human  corpora- 
tion. The  Church  is  robbed  of  its  character  by  every  insti- 
tution, merely  human,  that  would  ape  its  excellence  and  sub- 
stitute itself  in  its  place." 

Believing  that  the  primitive  Church  never  transferred 
any  of  its  duties  to  other  associations,  but  fulfilled  them 
always  in  its  own  character  that  Christ  might  be  glori- 
fied, he  was  jealous  of  every  separate  organization 
formed  to  accomplish  any  of  the  purposes  for  which 
the  Church  was  established. 

These  were  among  the  radical  reforms  urged  at  this 
time  by  Mr.  Campbell,  and  in  his  exposures  of  prevail- 
ing errors,  as  well  as  in  his  developments  of  the  primi- 
tive faith  and  order,  he  was  ably  seconded  by  Walter 
Scott,  who  furnished  a  number  pf  articles  for  the  *' Chris- 
tian Baptist,"  mostly  under  the  signature  of  Philip. 
A  series  of  essays  which  he  commenced  in  the  second 
number  of  the  paper  upon  the  subject  of  ''Teaching 
.  Christianity,**  may  be  especially  mentioned  as  develop- 
ing his  favorite  theme,  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus,  in 
which  he  shows  that  this  majestic  truth  constituted  the 
rock  on  which  the  Church  was  founded  and  the  great 
gospel  theme  to  be  preached  to  the  world. 

Mr.  Campbell  has  been  censured  by  some  for  the 
severity  of  his  strictures  at  this  period  upon  the  clergy 


6o  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

and  their  proceedings.  A  milder  course  and  gentler 
words,  they  think,  would  have  succeeded  better.  It  is 
to  be  remembered,  however,  that  the  milder  method  had 
already  been  tried.  No  gentler  words,  no  kinder  re- 
monstrances, no  warmer  entreaties,  no  sounder  argu- 
ments, could  have  been  employed  than  those  addressed 
to  religious  society,  and  particularly  to  the  clergy,  by 
Thomas  Campbell  and  the  *' Christian  Association." 
But  all  these  well-meant  efforts  the  clergy  had  treated 
with  disdain.  The  soft  and  harmless  missiles  of  for- 
bearance had  been  employed  apparently  to  no  purpose 
to  induce  the  clergy  to  come  down  from  the  elevated 
position  they  had  gained,  and  from  the  possession  of  the 
spoils  they  coveted,  and  it  had  become  necessary  to  use 
something  more  solid  and  effective  in  order  to  compel 
attention. 

It  should  be  remembered,  moreover,  that  Mr.  Camp- 
bell regarded  the  Church  and  the  clergy  from  a  point 
of  view  very  different  from  the  popular  one,  and  did  not 
consider  all  ministers  of  religion  as  *' clergy"  in  the 
sense  he  condemned.  Hence  care  is  to  be  exercised  in 
giving  to  his  censures  an  application  no  more  extensive 
than  he  designed.  The  clergy,  in  Mr.  Campbell's 
view,  consisted  of  those  who,  claiming,  without  creden- 
tials, to  be  '*  ambassadors  of  Christ,"  placed  themselves 
upon  apostolic  thrones ;  and,  having  no  new  divine  rev- 
elations, assumed  to  be  the  sole  authorized  expositors 
of  the  sacred  oracles,  denying  to  the  people  the  right 
or .  the  power  of  comprehending  or  interpreting  the 
Scriptures  for  themselves,  and  exercising  over  men,  by 
means  of  these  false  assumptions,  a  powerful  influence, 
largely  devoted  to  the  maintenance  of  their  own  usurp- 
ations and  the  religious  party  ism  of  the  times.  He  had 
before  his  vision  the  lordly  prelates  of  Europe,  and  es- 


ARROGANT  BAPTIST  PREACHERS.  6l 

pecially  of  the  Established  Church  of  England^  whose 
revenues,  he  shows  from  public  documents,  were  nearly 
forty  millions  of  dollars,  being  two  hundred  and  eight 
thousand  six  hundred  and  eighty  dollars  per  annum 
more  than  those  of  all  the  remaining  clergy  of  the 
whole  Christian  world.  With  these  he  associated  all  in 
other  churches  who  arrogated  to  themselves  similar 
official  claims,  and  who  sought,  each  in  his  own  sphere, 
a  similar  priestly  domination.  It  is  to  be  particularly 
noticed  that  he  did  not  include  among  the  ^^^  clergy  ^^ 
whom  he  denounced  the  ministers  of  the  Baptist  and 
other  independent  churches.  These,  being  appointed 
by  the  churches,  and  acting  as  elders  and  preachers  of 
the  gospel  insubordination  to  just  scriptural  authority, 
he  constantly  recognized  as  a  lawful  ministry  in  the 
Church,  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  purposes  for 
which  it  was  established  on  the  earth.  He  thought,  in- 
deed, there  were  some  preachers  even*  among  the  Bap- 
tists who  were  disposed  to  assume  '*  the  airs  and  arro- 
gance of  some  Paedobaptist  priests,"  placing  themselves, 
when  fresh  from  college,  over  the  heads  of  '*  old  and 
experienced  members  a  thousand  times  better  qualified 
than  they  to  be  overseers."  '*I  hope,  however,"  he 
adds  (C.  B.  for  Oct.,  1824),  "the  number  of  such 
among  the  Baptists  is  small.  Perhaps  the  whole  aggre- 
gate number  is  not  greater  than  the  aggregate  of  good, 
well-meaning  men  amongst  the  Paedobaptist  clergy." 
Again,  in  the  same  '*  address,"  he  says :  ** Amongst  the 
Baptists  it  is  to  be  hoped  there  are  but  few  clergy,  and 
would  to  God  there  were  none !  The  grand  and  dis- 
tinguishing views  of  the  Baptists  must  be  grossly  per- 
verted before  they  could  tolerate  one  such  creature." 

It  is  to  be  noted,  also,  that  his  condemnation  of  the 
clergy  and  their  undertakings  was  not  indiscriminate. 

6 


62  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

In  speaking  of  their  worldly  ambitions  and  desire  of 
aggrandizement,  he  says  (C.  B.,vol.  i.,  p.  48)  :  *'To 
say  that  every  individual  of  this  nation  of  clergy  is 
actuated  by  such  motives,  and  such  only,  is  very  far 
from  our  intention.  There  have  been  good  and  pious 
kings,  and  there  are  good  and  pious  clergy."  Again, 
in  speaking  of  those  who  sustained  the  schemes  of  the 
clergy,  and  of  his  own  aims  and  purposes  in  opposing 
them,  he  says  (Id.,  p.  89)  : 

"  Our  views  of  Christianity  differ  very  materially  from  the 
popular  views.  This  we  fearlessly  and  honestly  avow.  But 
while  we  remember  our  own  mistakes  and  the  systems  and 
teaching  of  our  time,  we  must  acknowledge  many  to  be 
Christians  who  are  led  away  and  corrupted- from  the  sim- 
plicity of  Christ."  Referring  to  the  missionary  plans,  he 
says  (Id.,  p.  208)  :  **  I  am  constrained  to  differ  from  many 
whom  I  love  and  esteem,  and  will  ever  esteem,  if  we  should 
never  agree  upon  this  point,  as  well  as  from  many  whom  I 
cannot  love  for  the  truth's  sake.  At  the  same  time  I  am  very 
sorry  to  think  that  any  man  should  suppose  that  I  am  either 
regardless  of  the  deplorable  condition  of  the  heathen  world 
or  opposed  to  any  means  authorized  by  the  New  Testament 
for  either  the  civilization  or  salvation  of  those  infatuated 
pagans."  Again,  of  his  motives  and  designs,  he  thus  speaks 
(Id.,  p.  90)  :  "  Many  will,  from  various  motives,  decry  the 
clergy.  ...  In  opposing  and  exposing  them  and  their  king- 
dom, it  is  not  to  join  the  infidel  cry  against  priests  and  priest- 
crafl ;  it  is  not  to  gratify  the  avaricious  or  the  licentious ;  but 
it  is  to  pull  down  their  Babel,  and  to  emancipate  those  whom 
they  have  enslaved ;  to  free  the  people  from  their  unrighteous 
dominion  and  immerciful  spoliation.  We  have  no  system  of 
our  own,  or  of  others,  to  substitute  in  lieu  of  the  reigning 
systems.  We  only  aim  at  substituting  the  New  Testament  in 
lieu  of  every  creed  in  existence,  whether  Mohammedan,  Pagan, 
Jewish  or  Presbyterian.  We  wish  to  call  Christians  to  con- 
sider that  Jesus  Christ  has  made  them  kings  and  priests  to 


PERSONAL  INTERCOURSE,  63 

God.  We  neither  advocate  Calvinism,  Arminianism,  Socin- 
ianism,  Arianism,  Trinitarianism,  Unitarianism,  Deism  nor 
Sectarianism,  but  New  Testatnentism^^ 

Mr.  Campbell,  furthermore,  would  be  greatly  misun- 
derstood if  he  were  supposed  to  have  cherished  feelings 
of  personal  unkindness  toward  those  whom  he  so  sternly 
arraigned  before  the  bar  of  Scripture  on  account  of  their 
assumptions.  While  he  denounced  their  errors  as  a 
class,  he  had  a  very  high  regard  for  many  of  them  in- 
dividually, and  exercised  Christian  benevolence  toward 
them  all  as  men^  while  he  repudiated  them  as  clergy- 
men. Among  them  he  had  many  warm  personal  friends, 
who  understood  and  esteemed  him  too  well  to  take  um- 
brage at  his  essays.  There  was  a  charm  about  Mr. 
Campbell  in  his  personal  intercourse  which  speedily 
disarmed  all  the  prejudices  which  his  writings  were 
calculated  to  excite.  In  these,  like  Paul,  he  appeared 
in  a  guise  wholly  different  from  that  which  invested  his 
personal  charajcter.  For  religious  errors  and  for  classes 
of  errorists  he  had  in  his  writings  nothing  but  cold,  in- 
cisive logic:  the  crushing  strength  derived  from  his 
singular  knowledge  of  unwelcome  facts ;  the  shafts  of 
piercing  satire  and  the  sharp,  two-edged  sword  of  the 
divine  word.  But  for  men,  individually,  he  had  the 
most  affectionate  and  almost  reverential  feelings.  He 
could  say  nothing  to  wound  their  sensibilities  or  to  de- 
tract in  any  degree  from  their  real  or  supposed  position. 
He  was  the  same  kind,  sympathizing  friend,  and  the 
same  lively,  agreeable  companion  to  the  clergy  of  his 
acquaintance  that  he  was  to  others,  and  with  that  deli- 
cate courtesy  which  always  characterized  him  he  for- 
bore to  make  in  their  company  any  direct  application 
of  his  well-known  views.  He  loved,  indeed,  to  con- 
verse with  them  upon  the  great  themes  of  nature  and 


64  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

religion ;  and  he  delighted  to  give  them  a  sharp  thrust 
or  a  sly  rub  occasionally  in  his  pleasant,  humorous  way, 
in  order  to  set  them  to  thinking,  but  he  never  exceeded 
the  boundaries  of  the  most  cordial  good  feeling.  In 
this  sort  of  skirmishing  he  was  almost  invariably  tri- 
umphant, and  his  keen,  flashing  wit  never  shone  to 
greater  advantage  than  in  such  encounters.  Occasion- 
ally, however,  he  would  be  foiled  with  his  own  weapons. 
One  day.  Dr.  Joseph  Doddridge,  the  Episcopal  minister 
at  Wellsburg,  for  whom  he  had  a  very  high  esteem, 
was  out  at  his  house  on  a  visit.  As  they  were  taking 
a  stroll  in  the  orchard,  the  bell  rang  for  dinner.  Hav- 
ing been  conversing  pleasantly  on  various  subjects  and 
nearing  the  topic  of  church  government,  Mr.  Campbell 
said  to  the  Doctor  as  they  were  passing  over  to.  the 
^ house,  and  with  a  sly  twinkle  in  his  eye:  ''Doctor, 
that  is  a  very  ugly  story  they  tell  us  about  Harry  the 
Eighth  and  Queen  Boleyn  I"  The  Doctor,  perceiving 
his  drift,  and  that  he  meant  a  blow  at  the  origin  of 
episcopacy,  replied  instantly:  **  Yes,  sir;  a  very  ugly  it 

story.     But,  Mr.  Campbell,  we  have  a  good  many  ugly  ^ 

stories  in  the  Bible  1"  At  this  repartee  they  both 
laughed  heartily  and  came  to  dinner  in  high  humor, 
and  ever  afterward  Mr.  Campbell's  cheery  laughter 
would  make  the  welkin  ring  when  he  related,  as  he 
often  did  to  his  friends,  how  readily  and  adroitly  the 
Doctor  had  parried  and  returned  his  thrust. 

Mr.  Campbell's  bold  attacks  upon  the  popular  clergy, 
roused,  as  may  well  be  supposed,  on  their  part  an  in- 
tense indignation.  Instead,  however,  of  trying  to  re- 
form a  single  abuse,  they  continued  to  abuse  the  indi- 
vidual who  dared  to  urge  reform,  and  all  their  influence 
was  exerted  to  put  down  one  whom  they  regarded  as  a 
most  dangerous  *'  adversary."    In  attempting  to  do  this, 


REAL  PURPOSES,  65 

they  resorted,  unfortunately,  to  personal  detraction  and 
misrepresentation,  rather  than  to  truth  and  Scripture 
argument,  and  preferred,  in  general,  to  circulate  pri- 
vately such  reports  as  were  likely  to  excite  public  odium 
against  Mr.  Campbell,  rather  than  to  accept  his  liberal 
offer  of  page  for  page  in  the  *'  Christian  Baptist"  for 
manly  discussion  of  the  questions  involved.  They  re- 
ported that  he  was  a  Socinian,  because  he  refused  to 
adopt  the  terms  of  scholastic  divinity.  To  this  he 
replied:  '*We  regard  Arianism,  semi-Arianism  and 
Socinianism  as  poor,  blind,  miserable  and  naked  non- 
sense and  absurdity"  (C.  B.  vol.  i.,  p.  443).  They 
charged  him  with  being  a  '*  disorganizer."  But  it  was 
not  his  aim  merely  to  overthrow  the  existing  ordef  of 
religious  society.  He  was  well  aware  of  the  vast  bene- 
fits resulting  to  mankind  from  Christianity,  even  in  its 
most  corrupt  forms,  and  was  far  from  proposing,  as  seen 
in  the  above  extracts,  to  accomplish  the  merely  nega- 
tive work  of  subverting  these.  He  desired  to  dethrone 
the  false,  that  he  might  re-establish  the  true ;  to  replace 
the  traditions  of  men  by  the  teachings  of  Christ  and 
the  apostles,  and  to  substitute  the  New  Testament  for 
creeds  and  human  formularies.     Said  he  (p.  89)  : 

''To  see  Christians  enjoy  tlieir  privileges,  and  to  see  sin- 
ners brought  from  darkness  to  light,  are  the  two  great  objects 
for  which  we  desire  to  live,  to  labor  and  to  suffer  reproach. 
In  endeavoring  to  use  our  feeble  ef!brts  for  these  glorious 
objects  we  have  found  it  necessary,  among  other  things,  to 
attempt  to  dethrone  the  reigning  popular  clergy  from  their 
high  and  lofty  seats,  which  they  have  been  for  ages  building 
for  themselves.  While  we  attempt  to  dethrone  them,  it  is 
solely  for  this  purpose — that  we  might  enthrone  the  holy  apos- 
tles on  those  thrones  which  Christ  promised  them  ;  or  rather 
that  we  might  turn  the  attention  of  the  people  to  them  placed 
upon  thrones  by  the  Great  and  Mighty  King." 

TOL.  II. — E  ft  ♦ 


66  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

His  work  was  thus,  as  said  before,  eminently  positive, 
designed  to  restore  the  pure,  primitive  gospel  with  all 
its  ordinances  and  administrations,  and  he  was  careful, 
therefore,  in  the  '*  Christian  Baptist,"  to  present  this  for 
consideration  and  adoption  on  the  one  hand,  while,  on 
the  other,  he  exposed  the  errors  of  modern  systems. 

Thus  to  separate  truth  from  error  in  relation  to  the 
most  important  of  all  subjects  was  certainly  the  greatest 
service  that  any  one  could  have  rendered  to  the  world. 
Under  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  this  period,  nothing 
could  have  been  more  desirable  or  more  needed  than 
to  bring  religious  teaching  and  religious  enterprises  into 
exact  conformity  to  the  Word  of  God.  Providence  had 
evidently  raised  up  in  Alexander  Campbell  the  man  for 
the  times.  It  needed  one  of  an  intrepid  spirit  to  brave 
theological  odium  and  clerical  denunciation,  and  to  re- 
buke the  bigotry,  sectarianism  and  venality  which  ex- 
isted in  the  religious  world.  It  needed  one,  too,  of 
supreme  regard  for  truth  and  uncompromising  fidelity 
to  the  teachings  of  the  Bible  to  exhibit  boldly  the  simple 
apostolic  gospel  and  the  primitive  Church  order,  in  op- 
position to  the  corruption  and  spiritual  despotism  which 
then  prevailed.  His  fine  natural  abilities  ;  his  previous 
training ;  his  enlarged  experience  and  observation  of 
the  actual  condition  of  religious  society ;  his  social  and 
worldly  circumstances, — all  contributed  to  fit  him  for  the 
work  assigned  him.  Even  his  early  resolve  to  labor  in 
the  gospel  without  charge  gave  him  in  the  conflict  with 
a  salaried  clergy  a  marked  advantage,  and  led  him, 
doubtless,  to  employ  a  freedom  of  censure  in  which 
he  would  not  otherwise  have  indulged.  Believing, 
however,  as  he  did,  that  a  distinct  order,  such  as  the 
clergy,  was  wholly  unauthorized,  everything  connected 
with  their  position  became  legitimately  a  subject  of  re- 


PROGRESS   OF  TRUTH.  6*J 

mark ;  while  on  the  other  hand,  taught  by  the  Scripture 
that  every  congregation  should  have  its  own  elders  and 
deacons,  and  that  its  divinely-appointed  rulers  and 
laborers  should  be  duly  honored  and  supported,  he  did 
not  fail  to  urge  this  duty  and  to  distinguish  these  officers 
from  the  clergy,  against  whom  alone  he  directed  his 
shafts.     On  this  subject  he  says  (p.  209)  : 

When  I  arrived  a  stranger  in  this  Western  country,  with- 
out any  other  property  than  my  education,  I  did,  from  a  con- 
firmed disgust  at  the  popular  schemes — which  I  confess  I 
principally  imbibed  when  a  student  at  the  University  of 
Glasgow — determine  that  I  should,  under  the  protection  and 
patronage  of  the  Almighty,  render  all  the  services  I  could  to 
my  fellow-creatures,  by  means  of  the  Bible,  without  any 
earthly  compensation  whatever.  On  these  principles  I 
began,  and  having  no  other  prospects  than  to  turn  my  atten- 
tion to  some  honest  calling  for  a  livelihood,  I  prosecuted  this 
design  without  looking  back.  At  the  same  time  I  did  not 
censure  nor  do  I  censure  any  Christian  bishop  who  receives 
such  earthly  things  as  he  needs  from  those  to  whose  edifica- 
tion and  comfort  he  contributes  by  his  labors. 

Aware,  indeed,  of  the  danger  of  being  misunderstood 
on  this  subject,  he,  in  the  very  first  number  of  the 
*'  Christian  Baptist,"  prefixed  to  an  article  referring  to  the 
clergy,  the  following:  ^*'  Nota  Bene. — In  our  remarks 
upon  the  Christian  clergy  we  never  include  the  elders 
or  deacons  of  a  Christian  assembly,  or  those  in  the 
New  Testament  called  the  overseers  and  servants  of 
the  Christian  Church.  These  we  consider  as  very  dif- 
ferent characters,  and  shall  distinguish  them  in  some 
future  number." 

In  spite  of  all  the  hindrances  interposed  by  the  clergy 
and  their  supporters,  the  reformatory  views  urged  by 
Mr.  Campbell  found  access  to  many  minds,  and  in 
various  quarters  began  to  produce  marked  results. 


^ 


68  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

At  the  time,  however,  they  were  but  imperfectly  ap- 
prehended. They  were  far  in  advance  of  the  age,  and 
their  spread  served  but  to  intensify  the  opposition  of  the 
clergy  and  their  adherents.  His  opponents  in  the  Red- 
stone Association  were  particularly  incensed  and,  as 
for  the  past  six  years  he  had  been  too  much  confined 
by  the  duties  of  Buffalo  Seminary  to  visit  often  the 
churches  belonging  to  the  Association,  the  opportunity 
afforded  by  his  absence  had  been  diligently  used  to 
increase  the  prejudice  against  him.  The  '*  Sermon  on 
the  Law,"  which  had  been  printed,  furnished  a  favorite 
ground  for  charges  of  heres}',  and  the  minority,  led  on 
by  Elders  Brownfield,  Pritchard  and  the  Stones,  was 
full  of  expedients  to  gain  an  ascendency  in  the  associa- 
tion, and  to  thrust  Mr.  Campbell  and  his  friends  out  of 
it.  In  the  month  of  August,  1823,  he  learned  that  they 
had  determined  to  make  a  strong  effort  for  this  purpose, 
and,  in  order  to  ensure  success,  that  special  brethren 
traversed  all  the  churches  in  the  Association,  and  had 
induced  many  of  them  to  appoint  as  messengers  to  the 
next  meeting  such  persons  as  were  unfriendly  to  him, 
in  order  to  secure  a  majority  against  him.  Considered 
in  itself,  Mr.  Campbell  cared  but  little  for  this  impend- 
ing excommunication  on  the  part  of  the  Association, 
but  as  he  was  to  engage  in  a  public  debate  shortly  with 
Mr.  McCalla,  he  thought  it  best  to  evade  the  denomi- 
national discredit  designed  by  his  enemies,  lest  this 
should  mar  his  success,  or  possibly  prevent  the  discus- 
sion altogether.  He  determined  accordingly,  though 
the  time  for  action  was  but  short  (the  Association  hav- 
ing appointed  to  meet  in  September),  to  defeat  the  pro- 
ject, in  a  way  his  enemies  little  expected,  but  which 
was  in  strict  accordance  with  Baptist  usages. 

As  he  had  been  occasionally  pressed  by  Elder  Bentley 


WBLLSBURG  CHURCH.  69 

to  leave  the  Redstone  Association  and  unite  with  the 
Mahoning,  and  as  a  number  of  the  members  of  the 
Brush  Run  Church  lived  in  Wellsburg  and  its  vicinity, 
he  concluded  to  form  there  a  separate  congregation  in 
which  he  would  have  his  membership,  and  which  might 
afterward  unite  with  the  Mahoning  Association.  He 
announced,  therefore,  to  the  church  at  Brush  Run  that 
for  special  reasons,  which  it  was  not  at  that  time  pru- 
dent to  disclose,  he  desired  from  them  letters  of  dismis- 
sion for  himself  and  some  thirty  other  members,  in 
order  to  constitute  a  church  in  Wellsburg.  This  re- 
quest, in  deference  to  Mr.  Campbell's  judgment,  was 
granted,  and  the  second  church  of  the  Reformation  was 
at  once  constituted  in  the  town  of  Wellsburg,  and  con- 
tinued to  assemble  regularly  thenceforward  in  the  house 
which  had  been  previously  erected.*  The  church  at 
Brush  Run  meanwhile  appointed  Thomas  Campbell 
and  two  others  as  messetigers  to  Redstone,  while 
Alexander  resolved  to  attend  the  meeting  as  a  spectator. 
When  the  letter  from  Brush  Run  was,  in  the  usual 
order  of  business,  called  for  in  the  Association  and 
read,  a  good  deal  of  surprise  was  manifested  that  Alex- 

*  The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  letter  of  dismission  in  the  handwriting  of 

Thomas  Campbell : 
"  Be  it  known  to  all  whom  it  may  concern,  that  we  have  dismissed  the 

following  brethren  in  good  standing  with  us,  to  constitute  a  church  of  Christ 

at  Wellsburg,  namely : 

"  Alexander  Campbell,  Margaret  Campbell,  John  Brown,  Ann  Brown,  Mary 
Sayres,  Mary  Marshall,  Mary  Little,  Richard  McConnel,  Stephen  Priest, 
Mr.  Jones,  John  Chambers,  Mary  Chambers,  Jacob  Osborne,  Susan  Os- 
borne, Mrs.  Bakewell,  Selina  Bakewell,  Mrs.  Dicks,  William  Gilchrist, 
Jane  Gilchrist,  Mr.  Brockaw,  Nancy  Brockaw,  Alexan4er  HoUiday, 
Joseph  Freeman,  Margaret  Parkinson,  Jane  Parkinson,  Mrs.  Talbot, 
George  Young,  Daniel  Babbit,  Catharine  Harvey,  Mrs.  Braley,  Solomon 
Salah,  Delilah  Salah. 
"  Done  at  our  meeting,  August  31st,  A.  D.  1823,  and  signed  by  order  of  the 

church.  Thomas  Campbell." 


^o  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

ander  Campbell  was  not  named  in  it  as  one  of  the  mes- 
sengers. On  this  ground  objection  was  made  to  a  mo- 
tion to  invite  him  to  a  seat,  and  a  debate  ensued  which 
occupied  much  time.  At  length  Mr.  Campbell,  who 
had  listened  in  silence,  was  requested  to  state  why  he 
was  not,  as  usual,  a  messenger  from  Brush  Run. 

Upon  this  he  arose  and  expressed  his  regret  that  the 
Association  should  have  spent  so  much  of  its  precious 
time  upon  so  trifling  a  matter,  and  observed  that  he 
would  at  once  relieve  them  from  all  further  trouble  by 
stating  that  the  reason  why  he  had  not  been  appointed 
a  messenger  from  Brush  Run  was  simply  this :  that  the 
church  of  which  he  was  then  a  member  was  not  con- 
nected with  the  Redstone  Association. 

"  Never,"  said  he,  in  relating  the  incident,  "  did  hunters, 
on  seeing  the  game  unexpectedly  escape  from  their  toils  at  the 
moment  when  its  capture  was  sure,  glare  upon  each  other  a 
more  mortifying  disappointment  than  that  indicated  by  my 
pursuers  at  that  instant,  on  hearing  that  I  was  out  of  their 
bailiwick,  and  consequently  out  of  their  jurisdiction.  A 
solemn  stillness  ensued,  and,  for  a  time,  all  parties  seemed  to 
have  nothing  to  do." 

Mr.  Campbell,  having  thus  checkmated  his  opponents 
in  the  Association  and  escaped  the  excommunication,  by 
which  it  was  hoped  the  ears  of  the  Baptists  would  be 
closed  against  him,  remained  still  free  as  before  to  ad- 
vocate amongst  them  those  principles  of  reformation 
which,  he  thought,  if  adopted  by  them,  would  rapidly 
regenerate  the  whole  of  religious  society. 


CHAPTER   III. 

Journey  to  Kentucky— Debate  with  Mr.  McCalla — Workings  of  religious 
bigotry — Design  of  baptism — Incidents — Results — Candor  of  Mr.  Camp- 
bell—His reputation  in  Kentucky — Effects  of  his  labors. 

THE  Ohio  river,  in  the  beginning  of  October,  1823, 
being  too  low  for  steamboat  navigation,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell was  compelled  to  set  out  on  horseback  in  order  to 
meet  his  appointment  with  Mr.  McCalla  in  Kentucky. 
On  this  journey  he  was  accompanied  by  the  pastor  of  the 
Baptist  church  in  Pittsburg,  Sidney  Rigdon,  who  wished 
to  be  present  at  the  discussion.  As  they  journeyed 
along  for  nearly  three  hundred  miles  through  the  inter- 
vening State  of  Ohio,  Mr.  Campbell  felt  his  health  and 
strength  improve,  and  took  great  pleasure  in  seeing  the 
rich  vallev  of  the  Scioto,  and  the  new  districts  of  coun- 
try  which  he  had  never  before  visited.  For  the  last  one 
hundred  miles,  however,  from  New  Lancaster  through 
all  the  fertile  level  land  to  Wilmington,  in  Clinton  county, 
he  found  the  country  overspread  with  gloom,  owing  to 
the  prevalence  of  a  fatal  form  of  autumnal  fever  which 
pervaded  town  and  country,  and  of  which  many  were 
dying.  Reaching  Washington,  Ky..,  on  the  nth,  he 
thus  writes  home : 

"  My  Dear  Margaret  :  Through  the  mercy  and  kind- 
ness of  our  heavenly  Father  we  have  arrived  in  safety  and  in 
health  at  the  ground  of  debate.  .  .  .  This  is  a  healthy  and 
fine  countr}',  and  everything   is  cheerful  and  animating.     I 

71 


' 


72  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

have  no  news  relative  to  the  debate.  Great  expectations  on 
all  sides,  and  much  zeal.  Too  much  party  spirit.  I  hope  and 
pray  that  the  Lord  will  enable  me  to  speak  as  I  ought  to 
speak,  and  cause  the  truth  to  be  glorified.  I  intend,  if  my 
health  will  permit,  to  visit  Lexington  and  Cincinnati  after  the 
debate,  and  therefore  you  need  not  expect  to  see  me  for  nearly 
six  weeks  from  my  departure  from  home.  I  will  write  in  a 
few  days  again.  Remember  me  to  all  the  children — to  Joseph 
Freeman,  James  Anderson  and  all  inquiring  friends.  May 
g^ace,  mercy  and  peace  be  multiplied  unto  you  !  Your  loving 
husband,  A.  Campbell." 

After  resting  for  a  time,  he  was  introduced,  on  the 
evening  of  the  14th,  to  Mr.  McCalla  by  Major  Davis, 
and  endeavored  to  arrange  the  preliminaries  of  the  dis- 
cussion. He  found  Mr.  McCalla  unwilling  to  agree  to 
such  rules  as  he  thought  requisite,  or  even  to  leave  the 
matter  to  the  moderators.    Finally  it  was  thus  arranged  : 

**  I.  Each  of  the  parties  shall  choose  a  moderator,  and  these 
two  a  third  person,  who  belongs  to  neither  party,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  merely  keeping  order.  2.  Alexander  Campbell  shall 
open  the  debate.  3.  Each  disputant  shall  have  the  privi- 
lege of  speaking  thirty  minutes  without  interruption,  unless 
he  chooses  to  waive  his  right.  4.  Whatever  books  are  pro- 
duced upon  the  occasion  shall  be  open  to  the  perusal  of  each 
disputant.  5.  The  debate  shall  be  adjourned  from  day  to  day 
until  the  parties  are  satisBed." 

Mr.  Campbell  chose  Bishop  Jeremiah  Vardeman  as 
moderator  on  his  part.*     Mr.  McCalla  chose  the  Rev. 


*  Jeremiah  Vardeman  was,  beyond  question,  the  most  popular  preacher  in 
Kentucky.  Although  without  much  education,  he  had,  by  his  energy  and 
zeal,  and  his  fine  hortatory  powers,  aided  by  his  noble  personal  appearance 
and  social  qualities,  acquired  immense  influence.  He  had  heard  many  things 
about  Mr.  Campbell,  and  was  anxious  to  see  and  hear  him  for  himsel£  He 
used  to  relate  afterward  that  as  he  was  on  his  way  to  the  debate,  traveling  in 
a  gig,  he  overtook,  about  eleven  miles  from  Washington,  a  man  on  foot,  and, 
hailing  him,  inquired  whither  he  was  going.     He  said  he  was  on  his  way  to 


EXORDIUM.  *li 

James  K.  Birch ;  and  these  two  chose  Major  William 
Roper,  and  appointed  him  president  of  the  board  of 
moderators.  The  debate  was  to  have  been  held  in  the 
Baptist  meeting-house  in  the  town  of  Washington,  but, 
as  the  concourse  was  great  and  the  weather  now  clear 
and  pleasant,  it  was  concluded  to  have  the  discussion, 
for  the  time,  in  an  adjacent  grove,  where  a  Methodist 
camp-meeting  had  recently  been  held,  and  where  the 
people  were  well  accommodated. 

At  the  appointed  hour  (12  o'clock),  both  parties  ap- 
peared upon  the  ground,  Mr.  Campbell  having  only  a 
few  books  with  him,  such  as  he  could  conveniently 
carry  in  his  portmanteau.  In  personal  appearance 
there  was  considerable  difference  between  the  two  dis- 
putants, Mr.  McCalla  being  lower  in  stature  and  more 
slender  than  Mr.  Campbell,  with  dark  hair,  a  self-pos- 
sessed and  solemn  aspect  and  much  of  the  clerical  air. 

Mr.  Campbell's  exordium  was  as  follows : 

Men,  Brethren  and  Fathers  : 

*'  Through  the  goodness  and  mercy  of  God,  I  appear  before 

Washington.  "  Why,"  said  Vardeman,  "  you  must  have  very  urgent  business 
to  walk  so  far  in  such  roads  as  these  ;"  for,  as  it  had  been  raining  recently, 
the  roads  were  very  muddy.  The  man  replied  that  he  had  no  call  of  business, 
but  that  he  was  going  to  hear  the  debate  that  was  to  come  off  on  the  15th. 
Surprised  at  this,  Vardeman  took  him  at  once  to  be  a  very  zealous  Baptist, 
and,  affecting  to  be  on  the  other  side,  he  said :  '*  Is  not  our  man  likely  to  whip 
your  man  Campbell  ?"  The  man  gave  him  a  searching  look,  and  asked : 
*'  Can  you  tell  me  if  this  is  the  same  Mr.  Campbell  who  debated  with  Mr. 
Walker  at  Mount  Pleasant,  Ohio  ?"  Elder  Vardeman  said  he  believed  he 
was.  The  stranger  then  said  :  *'  I  am  not  a  member  of  any  church.  I  am 
going  to  the  debate  on  the  supposition  that  this  is  the  Mr.  Campbell  who  de- 
bated at  Mount  Pleasant  three  years  ago.  I  heard  that  debate,  and  all  I  have 
to  say  is,  that  all  creation  cannot  whip  that  Mr.  Campbell."  Elder  Vardeman, 
who  was  noted  for  his  power  in  defending  the  practice  of  immersion,  was  not 
a  little  gratified  with  this  unexpected  and  very  decided  testimony  to  Mr. 
Campbeirs  ability,  and  came  on  to  the  debate,  full  of  cheerful  expectation  as 
to  the  fortunes  of  his  favorite  tenet 

7 


74  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

you,  at  this  time  and  in  this  place,  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
tending for  a  part  of  that  faith,  and  an  item  of  that  religious 
practice,  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  My  prayer  to  God  is, 
that  for  the  sake  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  I  may  speak  as  I 
ought  to  speak ;  that  in  the  spirit  of  the  truth  I  may  contend 
for  the  truth  ;  that  with  humility  and  love,  with  zeal  accord- 
ing to  knowledge  and  unfeigned  devotion,  I  may  open  my 
lips  on  every  occasion  when  I  address  my  fellow  mortal  and 
immortal  creatures  on  the  subject  of  religion.  Expecting 
that  they  and  I  will  soon  appear  before  the  judgment-seat  of 
Christ,  may  I  speak  in  such  a  way  that  I  may  not  be  ashamed 
nor  afraid  to  meet  them  there.  May  I  ever  act  under  the  in- 
fluence of  that  'wisdom  which  cometh  from  above,  which  is 
first  pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle,  easy  to  be  entreated,  full  of 
mercy  and  of  good  fruits,  without  partiality  and  without 
hypocrisy.'  And  may  you,  my  friends,  examine  and  '  prove 
all  things,  and  hold  fast  that  which  is  good.' " 

He  then  went  on  to  detail  the  circumstances  which 
led  to  the  discussion,  and,  after  adverting  to  the  import- 
ance of  the  subject,  called  upon  his  opponent  to  point 
out  any  advantages  resulting  from  the  practice  of  infant 
sprinkling. 

Mr.  McCalla,  after  some  just  remarks  upon  the  value 
of  religion,  went  on  to  descant  upon  the  propositions  in 
the  challenge  given  by  Mr.  Campbell,  speaking  of  him 
as  an  **  adversary,"  and  endeavoring  to  excite  religious 
prejudice  against  him.  Then,  after  saying  that  Mr. 
Campbell  had  not  as  yet  offered  any  argument  in  proof 
of  his  propositions,  he  announced  the  method  he  him- 
self intended  to  pursue  in  proving  their  contraries. 

"  In  the  first  place,"  said  he,  *'  I  will  produce  a  divine  com- 
mand for  infant  baptism — a  command  of  God  authorizing 
infants  to  be  baptized — the  infants  of  believers. 

"  In  the  second  place,  I  will  produce  probable  evidence  of 
apostolic  practice  of  infant  baptism. 


WESTMINSTER   CONFESSION.  75 

^^  In  the  third  and  last  place,  under  this  head,  I  will  pro- 
duce positive  evidence  of  apostolic  practice  of  infant  bap- 
tism." 

In  Mr.  Campbell's  next  speech  he  expressed  his  re- 
gret that  Mr.  McCalla  should  have  attempted  to  preju- 
dice the  feelings  of  the  audience  by  representitig  his 
challenge  as  *'  an  accusation  against  the  whole  Paedo- 
baptist  world,"  and  as  imputing  to  them  "  a  crime 
worthy  of  punishment  by  the  civil  law.*' 

"  Our  design,  my  Paedobaptist  friends,"  said  he,  "  is  not  to 
widen  the  breach,  or  to  throw  stumbling-blocks  in  the  way, 
by  inflaming  your  passions ;  but  to  lead  you  to  understand 
this  most  important  institution  of  the  Lord  of  glory,  that 
whosoever  of  you  feareth  God  may  unite  with  me  in  keeping 
his  commandments  as  delivered  unto  us  by  his  holy  apostles." 

After  some  further  remarks,  he  then  submitted  his 
proposed  method  of  procedure,  laying  down,  first,  cer- 
tain principles  to  which  he  might  appeal  in  any  perti- 
nent case.  These  principles  he  adopted  from  the 
••  Confession  of  Faith,"  and  said  he  took  for  granted 
Mr.  McCalla's  assent  to  them,  since  he  had,  as  a  Pres- 
byterian minister,  solemnly  vowed  to  teach  that  Confes- 
sion and  declared  it  to  be,  according  to  his  belief,  "  the 
system  of  doctrine  taught  in  the  Holy  Scriptures."  He 
then  quoted  the  Presbyterian  Confession  : 

*'  'All  things  in  Scripture  are  not  alike  plain  in  themselves, 
nor  alike  clear  unto  all ;  yet  those  things  which  are  necessary 
to  be  known,  believed  and  observed  for  salvation,  are  so 
clearly  propounded  .and  opened  in  some  place  of  Scripture 
or  other,  that  not  only  the  learned  but  the  unlearned^  in  a 
due  use  of  the  ordinary  means,  may  attain  unto  a  sufficient 
understanding  of  them.'  You  will  then  bear  in  mind,  my 
friends,"  added  he,  "  that  my  opponent  considers  you  all 
competent  judges  of  Scripture  testimony,  in  a  due  use  of  the 


76  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

ordinary  means ;  and  without  any  commentator  or  religious 
teacher,  his  Confession  of  Faith  declares  that,  though  you  were 
unlearned^  you  may  attain  unto  a  knowledge  of  the  things 
necessary  to  be  known,  believed  and  observed  for  salvation  ; 
because  all  those  things  are  so  clearly  propounded  and  opened 
in  some  place  of  Scripture  or  other.  In  the  sam^  Confession, 
and  in  the  same  chapter,  section  9,  you  will  find  the  following 
most  excellent  sentiment :  *  The  infallible  rule  of  interpreta- 
tion of  Scripture  is  the  Scripture  itself;  and,  therefore,  when 
there  is  a  question  about  the  true  and  full  sense  of  any  Scrip- 
ture which  is  not  manifold,  but  one,  it  may  be  searched  and 
known  by  other  places  that  speak  more  clearly/  This  article 
embraces  one  of  the  best  rules  of  interpretation  we  have  seen. 
The  sense  of  every  passage  of  Scripture  is  one,  not  two  or 
three  or  manifold.  How  many  thousands  of  volumes  of 
sermons  and  interpretations  of  Scripture  would  it  send  to  the 
flames  or  to  the  moths  if  it  were  duly  recognized  and  acted 
upon?  There  is  but  one  meaning  in  every  passage  of  Scrip- 
ture, and  that  one  meaning  must  be  always  found  from  its 
context.  This  golden  rule  of  interpretation  recognized  and 
acted  upon,  and  controversy  about  the  meaning  of  Scripture 
becomes  fair  and  easily  managed.  To  these  articles  we  shall 
appeal  in  all  matters  of  disputation  about  the  meaning  of 
Scriptures  adduced  in  this  controversy.  I  feel  myself  happy 
to  think  that  my  opponent  must  admit  them  or  abjure  his 
allegiance  to  the  Presbyterian  Church." 

By  means  of  these  two  principles,  that  Scripture  is 
comprehensible  even  by  the  unlearned,  and  that  its 
sense  is  not  manifold,  but  one,  he  subsequently  exposed 
various  attempts  of  Mr.  McCalla  to  impose  fanciful  and 
unauthorized  meanings  upon  various  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture. Taking,  furthermore,  as  a  text  the  declaration 
of  the  Confession  (chap,  xxviii.)  that  **  Bapti^sm  is  a 
sacrament  of  the  New  Testament,  ordained  by  Jesus 
Christ,"  and  defining  *'  sacrament"  as  meaning  a  *'  holy 
ordinance,"  he  announced  his  method  thus : 


MISREPRESENTATIONS,  *J^ 

"  We  will  go,  then,  to  the  New  Testament  and  not  to  the 
Old^  to  ascertain  the  nature,  design  and  subjects  of  this  ordi- 
nance. 

"  II.  We  shall  appeal  to  the  words  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the 
institution  of  baptism,  as  our  text  says  it  is  an  ordinance  of 
Jesus  Christ ;  we  shall  have  nothing  to  do  with  Moses  in  this 
matter,  however  useful  he  may  be  in  others.  No  doubt  our 
opponent  will  feel  his  creed  honored  and  will  acquiesce  in 
our  method  as  correct." 

He  then  produced  from  the  New  Testament  the  law 
of  baptism,  which  requires  faith  as  a  prerequisite,  and 
adduced  a  number  of  cases  showing  that  in  the  -practice 
of  the  primitive  Church  believers  only  were  baptized,  as 
the  law  required.  He  then  gave  place  to  his  opponent 
to  produce  the  records  of  infant  baptism  from  the  New 
Testament. 

Instead  of  attempting  this  impossible  task,  however, 
Mr.  McCalla  began  to  read  from  Robinson  various  ex- 
tracts about  the  baptism  of  cats  and  colts,  showing  how 
infant  baptism  had  been  derided  in  different  ages  by 
those  whom  he  called  its  "  adversaries."  In  the  midst 
of  this  tirade  he  was  called  to  order  by  Bishop  Varde- 
man  for  his  frequent  application  of  the  terms  "  accuser" 
and  •'  adversary"  to  Mr.  Campbell,  and  for  ^representing 
the  Baptists  as  **  accusers"  and  *'  adversaries." 

"  Mr.  McCalla  must  know,"  said  he,  '*  that  these  are  the 
names  given  in  Scripture  to  Satan,  who  is  called  the  '  adver- 
sary and  '  the  accuser  of  the  brethren.'  He  thought  that  Mr. 
McCalla  should  treat  his  opponent  as  a  gentleman  and  as  a 
Christian,  although  he  differed  from  him  on  the  questions 
under  discussion.  He  hoped,  therefore,  that  he  would  sub- 
stitute the  term  opponent^  or  any  term  less  acrimonious  and 
more  consistent  with  candor  and  justice,  in  plate  of  those 
offensive  terms." 

7* 


78  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

The  matter  being  referred  to  Major  Roper,  and  he 
having  expressed  the  hope  that  Mr.  McCalla  would  dis- 
pense with  the  use  of  such  terms  as  applied  by  him  to 
the  Baptists,  Mr.  McCalla  consented  to  desist  from 
using  them.  He  then  went  on  to  make  a  distinction 
between  Divine  commands  as  express  and  not  express^ 
striving  to  show  that  many  things  were  divinely  com- 
manded which  were  not  express,  but  were  to  be  learned 
and  taught  from  the  import  of  sundry  declarations  in 
which  there  was  much  scope  given  to  the  rational  facul- 
ties of  man,  and  which  were  to  be  ascertained  by  a 
minute  attention  to  many  circumstances. 

"  For  instance,"  said  he,  "  there  is  no  express  declaration 
of  the  unity  of  God  to  be  found  in  the  Old  Testament — no  ex- 
press proof  in  so  many  words ;  yet  we  know  this  proof  to  be 
a  part  of  Divine  revelation  as  certainly  as  though  it  were  ex- 
pressly declared  in  so  many  words.  Nor  is  there  any  express 
command  against  dueling'  in  all  the  word  of  God ;  yet  we 
are  as  certain  that  God  has  prohibited  this  mischievous  prac- 
tice as  though  it  were  expressly  prohibited.  Nor  is  there 
any  express  command  against  gaming  in  the  Bible,  and  what 
Christian  is  there  who  does  not  know  that  it  is  divinely  pro- 
hibited? There  is  no  express  law  authorizing  Christians  to 
eat  pork^  and  does  not  every  Christian  eat  pork  with  a  good 
conscience,  with  as  much  liberty  as  though  God  had  expressly 
said,  Te  may  eat  pork  I  Nor  is  there  any  express  command 
for  independent  church  government  for  which  many  so  earn- 
estly contend  as  divinely  appointed.  There  is  no  express 
law  for  the  observance  of  the  first  day  of  the  week  as  the 
Christian  Sabbath,  for  female  communion,  and  many  other 
points  zealously  contended  for  by  the  Baptists  and  Psedobaptists. 
In  the  same  manner  we  affirm  that  although  there  is  no  ex- 
press command  for  infant  baptism,  though  it  is  not  mentioned 
in  the  Old  Testament,  yet  we  can  find  a  Divine  command  for 
it  there.     When  we  propose  to  produce  a  Divine  command 


ARGUMENT  FROM  JUDAISM,  79 

for  infant  baptism,  you  are  not,  my  friends,  to  expect  that  we 
shall  produce  in  so  many  words  a  command  for  parents  to 
have  their  children  baptized." 

He  then  laid  down  several  propositions,  asserting  that 
Abraham  and  his  seed  were  constituted  a  true  and 
visible  Church  of  God — That  the  Christian  Church  is 
a  branch  of  the  Abrahamic — That  Jewish  circumcision 
before  Christ  and  Christian  baptism  after  Christ  are  one 
and  the  same  seal,  though  in  different  forms,  etc.  Thus, 
as  Mr.  Campbell  then  showed,  the  Divine  command  for 
infant  baptism  which  Mr.  McCalla  had  in  the  begin- 
ning positively  and  ostentatiously  promised  to  produce," 
after  first  becoming  attenuated  into  one  *'  not  express ^^^ 
had  finally  resolved  itself  into  the  old  shadowy  inference 
drawn  from  circumcision.  He  did  not  fail  to  remark 
also  on  Mr.  McCalla's  singular  assertion  that  there  was 
no  express  afiirmation  of  the  unity  of  God  in  the  Bible. 
'*  He  would  place,"  exclaimed  he,  **  the  unity  of  God 
and  infant  baptism  upon  the  same  obscure  footing  1 
No  express  revelation  of  either !  Did  he  ever  read, 
'  Hear,  O  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord.'  But 
in  fact  there  can  be  nothing  more  absurd  than  to  place 
the  *  eating  of  pork'  and  the  '  baptizing  of  infants'  upon 
one  and  the  same  footing,  or  the  prohibition  of  gaming 
and  dueling  upon  the  same  basis  with  the  sprinkling 
of  infants." 

Upon  the  propositions  which  he  had  laid  down,  Mr. 
McCalla  had  prepared  beforehand  a  large  quantity  of 
manuscript,  from  which  he  now  continued  reading  day 
after  day,  paying  little  or  no  attention  to  the  arguments 
and  refutations  which  Mr.  Campbell  from  time  to  time 
presented.  There  being  little  needing  reply  in  Mr. 
McCalla's  labored  disquisitions  upon  the  Jewish  and 
Christian  churches,  etc.,  Mr.  Campbell  then  occupied 


8o  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

a  portion  of  the  time  allotted  to  him  in  presenting  his 
views  of  the  Christian  Church ;  the  calling  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, the  nature  of  Messiah's  reign,  and  other  grand 
topics  which  placed  in  bold  relief  the  essential  differ- 
ences between  the  Jewish  and  Christian  institutions, 
triumphantly  overturning  the  chief  foundations  of  Peedo- 
baptism,  and  delighting  the  audience  by  new  and  com- 
prehensive exhibitions  of  the  Divine  dispensations  and 
their  gradual  increase  in  spiritual  light,  from  the  star- 
light patriarchal  age  to  the  moonlight  age  of  Moses, 
and  then  to  that  of  the  twilight  and  the  brilliant  day-star 
of  John  the  Baptist,  ushering  in  the  glory  of  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness,  the  promised  Messiah. 

It  would  be  unnecessary  to  detail  minutely  the  pro- 
gress of  this  discussion,  which  continued  during  seven 
days.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  Mr.  McCalla  continued 
reading  from  his  manuscript  most  of  the  time,  and  that 
Mr.  Campbell,  having  in  vain  sought  to  induce  him  to 
reply  to  his  arguments,  went  on  finally,  in  advance,  to 
establish  his  own  propositions,  making  short  replies 
occasionally  to  Mr.  McCalla.  It  would  not,  however, 
be  proper  to  omit  Mr.  Campbell's  exposition  of  the  de- 
sign of  baptism,  from  which  he  deduced  an  argument 
against  infant  baptism,  as  he  had  done  in  the  debate 
with  Walker,  but  which  he  now  renewed  with  a  definite- 
ness  and  fullness  which  marked  the  progress  of  his  own 
convictions  upon  this  important  subject.  Thus,  on  the 
second  day  of  the  discussion,  he  said, 

"Our  third  argument  is  deduced  from  the  design  or  import 
of  baptism.  On  this  topic  of  argument  we  shall  be  as  full  as 
possible,  because  of  its  great  importance,  and  because  per- 
haps neither  Baptists  nor  Psdobaptists  sufficiently  appreciate 
it.  I  will  first  merely  refer  to  the  oracles  of  God,  which  show 
that  baptism  is  an  ordinance  of  the  greatest  importance  and 


DESIGN  OF  BAPTISM.  8 1 

of  momentous  significance.  Never  was  there  an  ordinance 
of  so  greit  import  or  design.  It  is  to  be  but  once  adminis- 
tered. We  are  to  pray  often,  praise  often,  show  forth  the 
Lord's  death  oflen,  commemorate  his  resurrection  every  week, 
but  we  are  to  be  baptized  but  once.  Its  great  significance  can 
be  seen  from  the  following  testimonies :  The  Lord  saith,  '  He 
that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved.'  He  does  not 
say,  He  that  believeth  and  keeps  my  commands  shall  be  saved, 
but  he  saith,  '  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be 
saved.'  He  placeth  baptism  on  the  right  hand  of  faith. 
Again,  he  tells  Nicodemus  that '  unless  a  man  be  born  of  water 
and  of  the  Spirit  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.' 
Peter,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  places  baptism  in  the  same 
exalted  place.  *  Repent,'  says  he,  *  and  be  baptized,  every  one 
of  you,  FOR  the  remission  of  sins.'  Ananias  saith  to  Paul, 
'  Arise  and  be  baptized,  and  wash  away  thy  sins,  calling  upon 
the  name  of  the  Lord.'  Paul  saith  to  the  Corinthians,  'Ye 
were  once  fornicators,  idolaters,  adulterers,  effeminate,  thieves, 
covetous,  drunkards,  rioters,  extortioners,  but  ye  are  washed 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,'  doubtless  referring  to  their 
baptism.  He  tells  Titus,  '  God  our  Father  saved  us  by  the 
washing  of  regeneration  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Spirit.' 
See  again  its  dignified  importance.  Peter  finishes  the  grand 
climax  in  praise  of  baptism  :  '  Baptism  doth  now  also  save  us 
by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead.' " 

Again  he  remarks :  **  I  know  it  will  be  said  that  I  have 
affirmed  that  baptism  saves  us.  Well,  Peter  and  Paul  have 
said  so  before  me.  If  it  was  not  criminal  in  them  to  say  so, 
it  cannot  be  criminal  in  me.  When  Ananias  said  unto  Paul, 
'  Arise  and  be  baptized,  and  wash  away  thy  sins,  calling  upon 
the  name  of  the  Lord,'  I  suppose  Paul  believed  him  and  arose 
and  was  baptized,  and  washed  away  his  sins.  When  he  was 
baptized,  he  must  have  believed  that  his  sins  were  now  washed 
away  in  some  sense  that  they  were  not  before.  For,  if  his 
sins  had  been  already,  in  every  sense,  washed  away,  Ananias' 
address  would  have  led  him  into  a  mistaken  view  of  himself, 
both  before  and  after  baptism.     Now,  we  confess  that  the 

VOL.  II. — P 


82  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

blood  of  Jesus  Christ  alone  cleanses  us  who  believe  from  all 
sins.  Even  this,  however,  is  a  metaphorical  expression.  The 
efficacy  of  his  blood  springs  from  his  own  dignity  and  from 
the  appointment  of  his  Father.  The  blood  of  Christ,  then, 
really  cleanses  us  who  believe  from  all  sin.  Behold  the  good- 
ness of  God  in  giving  us  a  formal  token  of  it,  by  ordaining  a 
baptism  expressly  ^  for  the  remission  of  sins.'  The  water  of 
baptism,  then,  formally  washes  away  our  sins.  The  blood 
of  Christ  really  washes  away  our  sins.  Paul's  sins  were 
really  pardoned  when  he  believed,  yet  he  had  no  solemn 
pledge  of  the  fact,  wo  formal  acquittal,  no  formal  purgation 
of  his  sins  until  he  washed  them  away  in  the  water  of  baptism. 
"  To  every  believer,  therefore,  baptism  is  di  formal  and  per- 
sonal  remission^  or  purgation  of  sins.  The  believer  never 
has  his  sins  formally  washed  away  or  remitted  until  he  is 
baptized.  The  water  has  no  efficacy  but  what  God's  appoint- 
ment gives  it,  and  he  has  made  it  sufficient  for  this  purpose. 
The  value  and  importance  of  baptism  appear  from  this  view^ 
of  it.  It  also  accounts  for  baptism  being  called  the  '  washing' 
of  regeneration,^  It  shows  us  a  good  and  valid  reason  for 
the  despatch  with  which  this  ordinance  was  administered  in 
the  primitive  Church.  The  believers  did  not  lose  a  moment  in 
obtaining  the  remission  of  their  sins.  Paul  tarried  three  days 
after  he  believed,  which  is  the  longest  delay  recorded  in  the 
New  Testament.  The  reason  of  this  delay  was  the  wonder- 
ful accompaniments  of  his  conversion  and  preparation  for  the 
apostolic  office.  He  was  blind  three  days  ;  scales  fell  from 
his  eyes ;  he  arose  then  forthwith  and  was  baptized.  The 
three  thousand  who  first  believed,  on  the  selfsame  day  were 
baptized  for  the  remission  of  their  sins.  Yea,  even  the  jailer 
and  his  house  would  not  wait  till  daylight,  but  the  '  same  hour 
of  the  night  in  which  he  believed  he  and  all  his  were  bap- 
tized,^ I  say  this  view  of  baptism  accounts  for  all  those  other- 
wise unaccountable  circumstances.  It  was  this  view  of  bap- 
tism misapplied  that  originated  infant  baptism.  The  first 
errorists  on  this  subject  argued  that  if  baptism  was  so  neces- 
sary for  the  remission  of  sins,  it  should  be  administered  to  in- 


DESIGN  OF  BAPTISM.  83 

fants,  whom  they  represented  as  in  great  need  of  it  on  account 
of  their  '  original  sin.'  Affectionate  parents,  believing  their 
children  to  be  guilty  of '  original  sin,'  were  easily  persuaded 
to  have  them  baptized  for  the  remission  of  *  original  sin,'  not 
for  washing  away  sins  actually  committed.  Faith  in  Christ 
is  necessary  to  forgiveness  of  sins,  therefore  baptism  without 
faith  is  an  unmeaning  ceremony.  Even  the  Confession  of 
Faith,  or  at  least  the  Larger  Catechism,  says  that  baptism  is 
a  sign  of  the  remission  of  sins.  How  then  can  it  be  adminis- 
tered to  those  without  faith  ?  Is  it  with  them  '  a  sig'n  and  seal 
of  engrafting  into  Christ,  of  remission  of  sins  by  his  blood 
and  regeneration  by  his  Spirit,'  as  the  answer  to  this  question 
declares  ? 

"  One  argument  from  this  topic  is,  that  baptism  being  or- 
dained to  be  to  a  believer  a  formal  and  personal  remission  of 
all  his  sins,  cannot  be  administered  unto  ^n  infiint  without  the 
greatest  perversion  and  abuse  of  the  nature  and  import  of  this 
ordinance.  Indeed,  why  should  an  infant  that  never  sinned — 
that,  as  Calvinists  say  is  guilty  only  of  *  original  sin^  which 
is  an  unit — be  baptized  for  the  remission  of  sins?"  .... 

Thus  the  design  of  baptism  and  its  true  place  in  the 
economy  of  the  gospel  had  gradually  become  clearer, 
and  its  importance  proportionally  enhanced,  in  his  esti- 
timation,  since  the  debate  with  Walker.  Often,  during 
the  intervening  period,  had  this  particular  point  been 
the  subject  of  conversation  between  him  and  his  father, 
as  well  as  with  Walter  Scott,  and  of  careful  Scripture 
examinations,  and  these  utterances  in  the  McCalla  de- 
bate presented  the  views  they  had  beforehand  agreed 
upon  as  the  true  and  obvious  teachings  of  the  New 
Testament.  Thomas  Campbell  had,  indeed,  in  the 
second  or  September  number  of  the  ''Christian  Bap- 
tist," in  an  article  intended  for  the  first  number,  but 
delayed  for  want  of  room,  briefly  stated  them  in  treat- 
ing of  '*  the  primary  intention  of  the  gospel,"  which  he 


84  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

shows  to  have  been  a  complete  reconciliation  of  the 
sinner  through  the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  that  the 
effect  of  this  was  the  belief  of  a  full  and  free  pardon 
of  all  his  sins  received  in  baptism.  Thus,  in  1823,  the 
design  of  baptism  was  fully  understood  and  publicly 
asserted.  It  was,  however,  reserved  for  Walter  Scott, 
a  few  years  later,  to  make  a  direct  and  practical  appli- 
cation of  the  doctrine,  and  to  secure  for  it  the  conspicu- 
ous place  it  has  since  occupied  among  the  chief  points 
urged  in  the  Reformation. 

Upon  the  third  day,  the  weather  having  become 
colder,  the  debate  was  thereafter  held  in  the  Baptist 
meeting-house  in  the  village.  Upon  the  last  day  a 
somewhat  amusing  passage  occurred.  Mr.  McCalla 
had  dwelt  at  length  upon  the  alleged  dangers  and  in- 
delicacies of  immersion,  insisting  that  it  was  pernicious 
not  only  to  the  subject,  but  to  the  administrator.  "  The 
administrators,'*  he  said,  "  were  exposed  to  sickness, 
and  it  must  unavoidably  be  injurious  to  them  to  be 
plunging  into  cold  water  at  all  seasons,  and  continuing  in 
it  so  long  as  they  often  did ;  and  miraculous  escapes 
were  not  to  be  expected."  To  this  Mr.  Campbell 
replied : 

"  Benjamin  Franklin,  when  minister  in  Paris,  dined  witli 
a  number  of  French  and  American  gentlemen.  A  learned 
French  abb^,  at  dinner,  entertained  the  company  with  a 
learned  disquisition  on  the  deteriorating  influence  of  the 
American  climate  on  the  bodies  of  all  animals,  alleging  that 
the  human  body  diminished  in  size  and  energy,  and  that  even 
the  mind  itself  shared  in  the  general  deterioration.  Dr. 
Franklin  made  no  reply ;  but  after  dinner,  having  told  the 
company  with  what  pleasure  he  had  heard  the  learned  dis- 
quisitions of  the  philosopher,  he  moved  that  the  company  be 
divided,  observing  that  the  fairest  way  of  testing  the  correct- 
ness of  the  abba's  theory  was  to  place  all  the  Americans  on 


CHALLENGE  RENEWED.  85 

one  side  of  the  room  and  the  French  on  the  other.  The 
motion  was  carried,  and  behold  a  company  of  little,  swarthy, 
insignificant  Frenchmen  on  one  side,  and  a  row  of  little 
giants  on  the  other !  '  Ay,'  says  the  Doctor,  '  see,  here  is  a 
striking  proof  of  the  correctness  of  your  theory  !*  Now  let 
us  take  the  philosopher's  way  of  testing  the  correctness  of  the 
theory  of  my  opponent.  There  sits  on  the  bench  a  Baptist 
and  a  Paedobaptist  teacher,  both  well  advanced  in  years ;  the 
former  has,  we  are  told,  immersed  more  persons  than  any 
other  person  of  the  same  age  in  the  United  States ;  the  other, 
from  his  venerable  age,  may  be  supposed  to  have  sprinkled  a 
great  many  infants.  Now,  see  the  pernicious  tendency  of 
immersion  on  the  Baptist,  and  the  happy  influence  of  sprink- 
ling on  the  Paedobaptist !" 

As  Mr.  Birch,  the  Presbyterian  moderator,  was  a 
small  and  somewhat  sickly-looking  person,  and  Bishop 
Vardeman  was  of  magnificent  proportions,  being  up.- 
ward  of  six  feet  in  stature,  weighing  three  hundred 
pounds  and  of  a  remarkably  florid  aspect,  possessing 
uncommon  and  undiminished  energy  and  vigor,  though 
fifty  years  of  age,  the  striking  contrast  thus  presented, 
and  the  ironical  illustration  it  furnished,  greatly  amused 
the  audience  at  the  expense  of  Mr,  McCalla  and  his 
argument. 

This  debate  during  its  continuance  took  a  very  wide 
range,  and  as  Mr.  McCalla's  discomfiture  was  manifest 
notwithstanding  his  adroitness,  the  effect  of  the  discus- 
sion upon  the  community  was  very  decided,  and  many 
were  convinced  by  it  that  infant  baptism  was  merely  a 
human  tradition.  Mr.  Campbell,  accordingly,  near  the 
close,  thought  it  proper  to  give  the  Paedobaptists  an- 
other opportunity  to  redeem  the  credit  of  their  cause. 
He  accordingly  renewed  his  challenge,  and  as  his  esti- 
mate of  the  clergy  had  by  no  means  been  improved  by 
his  experience  with  Mr.  McCalla,  he  engaged  also  to 

8 


86  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

prove  that  the  clergy  were  unauthorized  as  a  distinct 
order  in  the  Church.' 

On  the  seventh  day,  Mr.  McCalla  stipulated  for  the 
last  speech,  which  Mr.  Campbell  conceded,  on  condition 
that  Mr.  McCalla  would  make  no  misstatements  of  facts ; 
but  he  nevertheless  attempted  to  excite  the  prejudices 
of  the  people  against  Mr.  Campbell  by  charging  him 
with  being  an  enemy  to  all  morality,  to  the  observance 
of  the  Sabbath,  and  to  the  good  cause  of  sending  the 
gospel  to  the  heathen. 

He  then  concluded  by  giving  his  challenge — viz., 
'*  that  he  would  never  discuss  this  question  again  until 
an  opponent  would  come  from  the  regions  discovered 
by  Captain  Simmes,  and  until  a  moderator  would  come 
from  Holland  weighing  five  hundred  pounds."  After 
haranguing  the  people  a  few  minutes  on  these  topics  he  sat 
down.  Mr.  Campbell  then  made  these  closing  remarks  : 

*'  Mr.  McCalla,  in  stipulating,  before  he  began  to  speak, 
that  I  should  not  reply,  appeared  to  have  been  actuated  by 
good  policy,  but  bad  motives.  His  last  eflbrt  was  to  blast 
my  reputation,  as  the  only  expedient  Jeft  to  heal  the  wound 
inflicted  on  his  pride  and  on  his  cause,  and  thus  to  weaken 
the  convictions  of  truth  on  the  minds  of  the  audience.  I  said 
that  I  was  no  enemy  to  morals,  but  that  I  had  remonstrated 
against  those  little,  persecuting,  fining,  confining,  anti-repub- 
lican confederations  called  moral  associations ;  that  I  ad- 
vocated the  best  means,  as  I  conceived,  of  sending  the.gospel 
to  the  heathen,  and  was  conscientiously  opposed  to  the  present 
popular,  moneyed,  speculating  schemes  of  hiring  missionaries  ; 
that  I  religiously  regarded  the  first  day  of  the  week  to  the 
Lord,  not  as  the  Jewish  Sabbath,  but  according  to  the  spirit 
and  scope  of  the  religion  of  our  Lord.  But,  said  I,  if  any 
present  wish  to  become  better  acquainted  with  my  views  or 
all  these  topics,  as  I  make  no  secret  of  them,  they  can  be 
made  fully  acquainted  with  them  by  perusing  a  monthly  pub- 


ECLAIRCISSEMENT,  87 

lication,  entitled  the  'Christian  Baptist/  which  I  have 
lately  commenced  publishing.  I  hoped  the  congregation 
would  know  how  to  appreciate  the  last  accusations  of  Mr. 
McCalla,  who  had  now  descended  to  that  vile  slander  which 
was  the  dernier  resort  of  those  who  neither  possessed  nor 
could  wield  the  sword  of  truth." 

As  Mr.  McCalla,  for  a  considerable  time  prior  to  the 
discussion,  had  greatly  annoyed  the  Baptists  by  assail- 
ing occasionally  their  distinctive  tenets,  his  defeat  gave 
them  great  satisfaction  and  raised  Mr.  Campbell  very 
highlj'  in  their  estimation.  It  was  not  Mr.  CampbelPs 
aim,  however,  to  advocate  the  peculiarities  of  the  Bap- 
tists, or  to  seek  popularity  among  them  by  fostering 
their  favorite  but  defective  views  of  the  gospel  and  its 
institutions.  True  to  his  own  special  mission,  he  made 
no  concealment  of  the  principles  of  the  Reformation,  or 
of  the  great  truths  which  these  had  already  developed ; 
and  accepted  the  discussion  in  the  beginning  rather  in 
order  to  introduce  these  than  merely  to  defend  the  bap- 
tism of  believers.  As  a  large  number  of  Baptists  were 
present  at  the  discussion,  and  many  of  their  most  in- 
fluential preachers,  he  felt  that  a  favorable  opportunity 
was  aflTorded  of  leading  them  forward  to  more  enlarged 
and  correct  views  of  Christianity,  and  of  promoting  the 
great  object  of  his  life,  the  union  of  Christians  upon  the 
Bible  alone.  Believing  himself,  also,  comparatively 
unknown  in  Kentucky,  and  having  purposely  withheld 
the  "  Christian  Baptist"  from  this  State,  he  hoped  to  ob- 
tain a  more  impartial  hearing  for  the  views  he  wished 
to  present.  Hence  during  the  debate  it  was  a  point  of 
great  interest  with  him  to  develop  the  design  of  baptism, 
which  was  quite  a  novelty  to  the  Baptists.  He  sought, 
also,  to  lead  them  to  a  more  rational  mode  of  reading, 
interpreting   and  using  the   Bible  than  that  to  which 


88  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

they  had  been  accustomed  under  the  textuary  system, 
and  to  more  extended  and  correct  views  of  the  nature 
and  polity  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  During  the  pro- 
gress of  the  discussion,  finding  the  denominational 
spirit  growing  stronger  and  stronger,  and  being  almost 
overwhelmed  by  a  profuse  outpouring  of  Baptist  com- 
pliments, he  had  thought  it  best  on  the  evening  of  the 
fifth  day  to  state  candidly  and  fairly  to  the  principal  Bap- 
tist preachers  the  exact  position  which  he  occupied. 
Being  all  assembled  in  a  room  at  Major  Davis',  where 
he  stayed,  he  introduced  himself  fully  to  their  acquaint- 
ance in  the  following  manner,  as  related  by  himself: 

" '  Brethren,  I  fear  that  if  you  knew  me  better  you  would 
esteem  and  love  me  less.  For  let  me  tell  you  that  I  have 
almost  as  much  against  you  Baptists  as  I  have  against  the 
Presbyterians.  They  err  in  one  thing  and  you  in  another ; 
and  probably  you  are  each  nearly  equidistant  from  original 
apostolic  Christianity.'  I  paused ;  and  such  a  silence  as 
ensued,  accompanied  by  a  piercing  look  from  all  sides  of  the 
room,  I  seldom  before  witnessed.  Elder  Vardeman  at  length 
broke  silence  by  saying :  '  Well,  sir,  we  want  to  know  our 
errors  or  your  heterodoxy.  Do  let  us  hear  it.  Keep  nothing 
back.'  I  replied,  '  I  know  not  where  to  begin  ;  nor  am  I  in 
health  and  vigor,  after  the  toils  of  the  day,  to  undertake  so 
heavy  a  task.  But,'  said  I,  '  I  am  commencing  a  publication 
called  the  Christian  Baptist^  to  be  devoted  to  all  such  mat- 
ters, a  few  copies  of  which  are  in  my  portmanteau,  and,  with 
your  permission,  I  will  read  you  a  few  specimens  of  my 
heterodoxy.'  They  all  said,  '  Let  us  hear — let  us  hear  the 
worst  error  you  have  against  us.'  I  went  up  stairs  and  un- 
wrapped the  first  three  numbers  of  the  '  Christian  Baptist' 
that  ever  saw  the  light  in  Kentucky.  I  had  just  ten  copies 
of  the  first  three  numbers.  I  carried  them  into  the  parlor, 
and  sitting  down,  I  read,  as  a  sample,  the  first  essay  on  the 
clergy — so  much  of  it  as  respected  the  '  call  to  the  ministry 
as  then  taught  in  the  '  kingdom  of  the  clergy,'  and  especially 


EFFECTS   OF  THE  DEBATE.  89 

among  the  Baptists.  This  was  the  first  essay  ever  read  from 
that  work  in  Kentucky.  After  a  sigh  and  a  long  silence, 
Elder  Vardeman  said,  '  Is  that  your  worst  error,  your  chief 
heterodoxy?  I  don't  care  so  much  about  that,  as  you  admit 
that  we  may  have  a  providential  call,  without  a  voice  from 
heaven  or  a  special  visit  from  some  angel  or  spirit.  If  you 
have  anything  worse,  for  my  part  I  wish  to  hear  it.'  The 
cry  was,  '  Let  us  hear  something  more.'  On  turning  to  and 
fro,  I  next  read  an  article  on  '  Modern  Missionaries.'  This, 
with  the  '  Capital  Mistake  of  Modern  Missionaries,'  finished 
my  readings  for  the  evening. 

*'  On  closing  this  essay,  Elder  Vardeman  said  :  '  I  am  not  so 
gi'eat  a  missionary  man  as  to  fall  out  with  you  on  that  subject. 
I  must  hear  more  before  I  condemn  or  approve.'  I  then  dis- 
tributed my  ten  copies  amongst  the  ten  most  distinguished  and 
advanced  elders  in  the  room,  requesting  them  to  read  these 
numbers  during  the  recess  of  the  debate,  and  to  communicate 
freely  to  me  their  objections.  We  separated.  So  the  matter 
ended  at  that  time." 

At  the  close  of  the  debate  the  Baptist  preachers  were 
so  much  pleased  with  the  results,  and  so  tolerant  of 
what  they  found  in  the  **  Christian  Baptist,"  that  they  re- 
quested Mr.  Campbell  to  furnish  them  with  the  printed 
proposals  for  its  publication,  in  order  to  extend  its  cir- 
culation, and  urged  him  to  make  an  immediate  tour 
through  the  State.  This  his  engagements  forbade,  and 
he  could  only  comply  with  their  wishes  so  far  as  to  visit 
and  preach  at  Mayslick,  Bryant's  Station,  in  the  vicinity 
of  Elder  Vardeman's  residence,  and  at  Lexington,  pro- 
mising to  make  a  tour,  if  possible,  during  the  ensuing 
autumn  through  a  considerable  portion  of  the  State. 

As  Mr.  McCalla's  character  for  ability  was  well  esta- 
blished and  equally  well  sustained  by  his  Presbyterian 
brethren,  the  result  of  the  discussion  was  less  damaging 
to  his  reputation  than  to  the  cause  he  advocated,  which, 

8* 


90  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

throughout  the  entire  West,  never  recovered  from  the 
blow  which  it  then  received.  Mr.  McCalla,  neverthe- 
less, labored  for  some  time  afterward  to  change  public 
opinion  by  preaching  upon  the  subject  in  various  parts 
of  Kentucky,  endeavoring,  at  the  same  time,  to  prejudice 
the  minds  of  the  people  ia  advance  against  the  report 
of  the  debate,  which  it  was  understood  Mr.  Campbell 
intended  to  publish.  From  his  closing  remarks  in  the 
discussion  and  his  mock  challenge,  intended  as  a  sar- 
casm upon  Elder  Vardeman's  portly  figure,  he  was 
evidently  conscious  of  his  own  failure,  and  naturally 
sought  to  obviate  the  results  as  far  as  practicable. 
However  unsuccessful  in  this,  his  persevering  zeal  in 
behalf  of  the  Paedobaptist  cause  was  fully  appreciated 
by  his  friends,  in  evidence  of  which  he  received  the  de- 
'  gree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity,  and,  after  a  time,  removed 
to  Philadelphia. 

Unlike  his  opponent,  who  seemed  to  be  entirely  satis- 
fied with  his  controversial  experience,  Mr.  Campbell 
was  by  this  debate  rendered  still  more  favorable  to 
public  discussion.  ''  This,"  said  he  afterward,  "  is,  we 
are  convinced,  one  of  the  best  means  of  propagating 
the  truth  and  of  exposing  error  in  doctrine  or  practice. 
We  now  reap  the  benefit  of  the  public  debates  of  former 
times,  and  we  have  witnessed  the  beneficial  results  of 
those  in  our  own  time.  And  we  are  fully  persuaded 
that  a  week's  debating  is  worth  a  year's  preaching,  such 
as  we  generally  have,  for  the  purpose  of  disseminating 
truth  and  putting  error  out  of  countenance.  There  is 
nothing  like  meeting  face  to  face,  in  the  presence  of 
many  witnesses,  and  '  talking  the  matter  over ;'  and  the 
man  that  cannot  govern  his  own  spirit  in  the  midst  of 
opposition  and  contradiction  is  a  poor  Christian  indeed." 

As  to  the  effect  of  the  debate  upon  Mr.  Campbell's 


VISIT  TO  LEXINGTON.  9I 

reputation  and  influence,  these  were  very  largely  ex- 
tended by  it.  So  many  preachers  from  a  distance  had 
been  present  during  the  discussion,  and  so  many  lawyers 
and  other  persons  of  intelligence  capable  of  appreciating 
Mr.  Campbell's  extraordinary  dialectic  power,  that  his 
talents  became  at  once  generally  recognized  throughout 
the  State.  This  result  was  also  largely  promoted  by  his 
short  visit  to  the  interior  immediately  after  the  discussion. 
At  David's  Fork  Church,  in  Payette  county,  one  of  the 
four  to  which  Elder  Vardeman  ministered,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell was  astonished  at  the  vast  concourse  assembled  to 
hear  him,  and,  as  the  presence  of  a  large  audience 
always  roused  him  to  his  best  efforts  and  seemed  to 
waken  up  his  latent  powers,  the  people  were  still  more 
surprised  at  the  extraordinary  abilities  manifested  by 
the  speaker. 

Among  other  points,  Mr.  Campbell  was  to  visit  Lex- 
ington, which,  in  a  literary  point  of  view,  was,  at  this 
period,  regarded  as  the  **  Athens  of  the  West."  Tran- 
sylvania University  was  now  in  a  most  flourishing  con- 
dition under  the  presidency  of  Dr.  Horace  Holley,  a 
fine  classical  scholar,  and  greatly  admired  as  an  orator 
in  a  community  passionately  fond  of  oratory,  and  which 
possessed  such  men  as  Clay,  Crittenden,  Barry,  Rowan, 
S.  P.  Sharp  and  Ben.  Hardin.  As  Dr.  Holley  was  a 
man  of  popular  manners  and  liberal  principles,  the 
University  had  risen  rapidly  in  public  esteem,  and  was 
filled  with  students  from  the  South  and  West  in  all  its 
departments — its  school,  of  medicine,  which  then  num- 
bered among  its  professors  Charles  Caldwell  and  B.  W. 
Dudley,  being  regarded  as  second  only  to  the  Philadel- 
phia medical  institutions.  Lexington  could  also,  at  this 
time,  boast  of  one  of  the  ablest  literary  periodicals  of 
the  West,  edited  by  William  Gibbs  Hunt. 


92  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

Mr.  Campbell  was  to  preach  in  the  capacious  meeting- 
house used  by  the  Baptist  church  in  charge  of  Dr. 
James  Fishback.  The  doctor  was  a  man  of  superior 
talents,  elegant  manners  and  remarkably  fine  personal 
appearance,  being  far  above  the  ordinary  height,  well- 
proportioned  and  with  dark  hair  and  regular  and 
expressive  features.  He  had  fine  didactic  powers — 
was  a  close  reasoner,  and  independent  and  somewhat 
original  in  his  way  of  thinking.  He  had  been  once  a 
successful  practitioner  of  law,  but  abandoned  this  for 
the  study  of  medicine,  which,  however,  he  soon  left  for 
the  Presbyterian  ministry.  Becoming  afterward  con- 
vinced that  immersion  was  the  proper  action  denoted  by 
•'baptism,"  he  did  not  hesitate  to  unite  with  the  small 
and  contemned  Baptist  church  at  Lexington,  which,  by 
means  of  his  zeal,  energy  and  ability,  soon  became  one 
of  the  largest,  most  active  and  prosperous  churches'  in 
the  West.  He  had  published,  some  time  before,  a  work 
on  the  human  mind,  which  displayed  unusual  power  of 
thought,  and  was  considered  a  valuable  contribution  to 
mental  science.  He  thus  occupied  a  very  high  position, 
not  only  among  the  Baptists,  but  in  the  intelligent  and 
cultivated  society  of  Lexington,  before  which  Mr. 
Campbell  was  now  to  appear,  a  comparatively  unknown 
stranger,  from  an  obscure  creek  called  Buffalo  among 
the  silent  hills  of  Western  Virginia. 

At  the  hour  of  meeting,  the  house  was  crowded  to  its 
utmost  capacity.  When  Mr.  Campbell  rose,  he  appeared 
pale  and  exhausted,  owing  to  the  dyspepsia  from  which 
he  had  not  yet  fully  recovered,  and  was  unable  to  stand 
entirely  erect  during  the  delivery  of  his  discourse.  This 
was  based  on  the  first  chapter  of  Hebrews,  and  led  the 
speaker  to  dwell  upon  the  divine  glory  of  the  Son  of 
God — a  theme  upon  which  he  was  always  surpassingly 


IMPRESSIONS.  AT  LEXINGTON.  93 

eloquent.  It  lasted  two  hours,  during  which  the  audi- 
ence sat  in  rapt  attention.  Dr.  Theodore  S.  Bell,  now 
a  distinguished  physician  of  Louisville,  but  then  a  youth, 
was  present,  and  thus  speaks  of  it : 

"  I  never  had  heard  anything  that  approached  the  power 
of  that  discourse,  nor  have  I  ever  heard  it  equaled  since. 
Under  the  training  of  my  mother,  one  of  the  most  thorough 
scholars  in  the  Bible  that  I  ever  knew,  and  of  Dr.  Fishback, 
although  I  then  made  no  pretensions  to  Christianity,  I  was 
almost  as  familiar  with  the  Bible  as  with  my  alphabet.  But 
that  speech  on  Hebrews  lifted  me  into  a  world  of  thought  of 
which  I  had  previously  known  nothing.  It  has  been  forty- 
five  years  since  I  heard  that  pulpit  discourse,  but  it  is  as  vivid 
in  my  memory,  I  think,  as  when  I  first  heard  it." 

The  impression  made  upon  the  entire  audience  was 
very  marked.  They  recognized  at  once  in  Alexander 
Campbell  the  mightiest  intellect  that  had  ever  visited 
their  city.  The  freshness  of  his  thoughts,  the  extent 
and  accuracy  of  his  biblical  knowledge,  and  his  grand 
generalizations  of  the  wonderful  facts  of  redemption 
opened  up  trains  of  reflection  wholly  new,  and  pre- 
sented the  subject  of  Christianity  in  a  form  so  simple 
and  yet  so  comprehensive  as  to  fill  every  one  with 
admiration.  Nor  were  they  less  struck  with  the  perfect 
ease  with  which  he  developed  and  illustrated  the  most 
profound  and  enlarged  conceptions,  seemingly  by  an 
inexhaustible  interior  power,'  unaided  by  the  slightest 
gesture  or  atiy  of  the  arts  of  elocution.  Nor  did  his 
unassuming,  humble  and  unobtrusive  deportment  in  the 
social  circles  of  the  most  eminent  citizens  whom  he 
met,  especially  in  the  elegant  mansion  where  Dr.  Fish- 
back  and  his  amiable  Christian  lady  dispensed  a  munifi- 
cent hospitality,  make  a  less  favorable  impression ;  so 
that  from  this  time  forward  Mr.  Campbell  was  esteemed 


94  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

by  the  people  of  Kentucky  as  gre^at  among  the  greatest 
of  her  public  men,  and  without  a  rival  in  the  depart- 
ment to  which  he  had  devoted  his  powers.  The  con- 
sideration which  he  thus  received  from  the  intelligent 
citizens  of  Kentucky,  their  genial  hospitality  and  frank 
and  simple  manners,  so  accordant  with  his  own,  made 
a  deep  impression  upon  him,  and  he  was  wont  always 
to  speak  in  the  most  feeling  terms  of  the  kindness  and 
love  shown  him  by  the  people  of  Kentucky,  whom  he 
often  visited  in  after  years,  and  among  whom  the 
reformatory  principles  soon  became  very  widely  dif- 
fused. 

Prior  to  the  discussion  with  McCalla,  Mr.  Campbell, 
however,  was  by  no  means  so  little  known  in  Kentucky 
as  he  imagined.  His  published  debate  with  Walker 
had  been  read  by  some  of  the  Baptist  preachers  there, 
as  Wm.  Vaughan,  Vardeman  and  others,  with  great 
satisfaction,  and  they  had  been  wont  ever  afterward  to 
speak  of  Mr.  Campbell  in  the  highest  terms.  It  was 
these  encomiums  which  as  early  as  the  years  1820  and 
1821,  had  made  a  most  favorable  impression  in  refer- 
ence to  Mr.  Campbell  upon  the  mind  of  a  young  min- 
ister, recently  from  England,  P.  S.  Fall,  who  had 
already  acquired  distinction  among  the  Baptists  of 
Kentucky,  and  was  destined  to  exert  no  inconsiderable 
influence  upon  the  fortunes  of  the  Reformation.  His 
refined  manners  and  unblemished  character  gave  him 
a  high  standing  in  society,  while  his  cogent  reasoning, 
clear  enunciation  and  remarkably  correct  use  of  words 
rendered  him  popular  as  a  preacher.  During  1822, 
while  preaching  for  a  church  which  he  had  gathered  at 
Louisville,  he  met  with  Mr.  Campbell's  Sermon  on 
Law,  and  was  led  by  it  to  clearer  views  of  the  distinc- 
tion between  the  law  and  the  gospel.     This  distinction 


STUDY  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES.  95 

he  clearly  traced  in  a  discourse  delivered  to  a  large 
audience  at  Frankfort  in  the  winter  of*i823,  and  which 
proved  quite  unpalatable  to  some  Baptist  preachers 
present,  with  whose  theology  it  conflicted.  Continuing 
his  eflforts,  however,  Mr.  Fall  became  the  first  resident 
Baptist  minister  in  Kentucky  to  take  his  stand  openly 
in  favor  of  the  principles  of  the  Reformation. 

Upon  his  return  home  from  the  McCalla  debate,  Mr. 
Campbell  made  immediate  preparation  for  its  publica- 
tion from  his  own  notes  and  those  taken  at  the  time  by 
Sidney  Rigdon,  and,  notwithstanding  Mr.  McCalla's 
effort  to  discredit  it  before  its  appearance,  its  general 
accuracy  was  fully  attested  by  those  who  had  heard  the 
discussion.  With  some  animadversions  on  the  publica- 
tions of  Messrs.  Ralston,  Walker  and  others,  it  formed 
a  volume  of  over  four  hundred  pages,  containing  a 
large  amount  of  interesting  matter  in  regard  to  the  sub- 
ject in  controversy.  Mr.  Campbell  observed  in  his 
Preface :  "  If  the  whole  of  this  work  were  a  forgery, 
it  combats  every  argument  advanced  by  the  Paedobap- 
tists,  and  if  the  arguments  impugned  in  this  volume  are 
refuted,  the  reader  may  rest  assured  there  are  no  others 
to  exhibit."  This  discussion,  indeed,  thus  reported  and 
circulated,  proved  to  be  the  severest  blow  that  Paedo- 
baptism  had  ever  received  in  any  part  of  the  world. 

At  the  same  time,  Mr.  Campbell  continued  to  urge 
his  plea  for  Reformation  through  the  pages  of  the 
**  Christian  Baptist"  and  in  his  public  addresses  with 
undiminished  vigor.  Many  persons,  released  from 
clerical  rule,  were  incited  to  religious  inquiry  and  were 
induced  to  commence  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  for 
themselves.  To  these,  Mr.  Campbell  endeavored  to 
render  all  possible  aid,  by  directing  attention  to  the 
differences  between  ancient  and  modern  Christianity, 


96  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

■ 

and  by  furnishing  useful  hints  as  to  the  proper  method 
of  studying  the  word  of  God. 

"  Such  readers  of  this  paper,"  said  he,  "  as  believe  that 
yesus  is  the  Messiah^  the  Son  of  God^  and  consequently 
wish  to  understand  his  word,  to  do  and  to  enjoy  his  will,  we 
address,  in  a  subserviency  to  our  grand  design,  in  the  follow- 
ing words : 

"  That  you  may  relish  and  understand  the  New  Testament 
is  our  earnest  desire.  We  will,  therefore,  suggest  to  you  a 
plan  of  reading  the  blessed  volume,  which  reason,  common 
sense,  and  the  experience  of  all  who  have  tried  it,  recom- 
mend and  enforce.  We  will  only  premise  one  sentence,  viz. : 
that  as  God  kindly  revealed  himself,  his  will,  and  our  salva- 
tion in  human  language,  the  words  of  human  language  which 
he  used  for  this  purpose  must  have  been  used  by  his  Spirit, 
in  the  commonly  received  sense  among  Jiiankind  generally; 
else  it  could  not  have  been  a  revelation,  for  a  revelation  in 
words  not  understood  in  the  common  sense  is  no  revelation 
at  all.  You  will  then  take,  say,  a  New  Testament  and  sit 
down  with  a  pencil  or  a  pen  in  your  hand.  Begin  with 
Matthew's  gospel ;  read  the  whole  of  it  at  one  reading  or 
two ;  mark  on  the  margin  every  sentence  you  think  you  do 
not  understand.  Turn  back  again,  read  it* a  second  time  in 
less  portions  at  once  than  in  the  first  reading ;  cancel  such 
marks  as  you  have  made  which  noted  passages  which  on  the 
first  reading  appeared  to  you  dark  or  difficult  to  understand, 
but  on  the  second  reading  opened  to  your  view.  Then  read 
Mark,  Luke  and  John  in  the  same  manner,  as  they  all  treat 
on  the  same  subject.  After  having  read  each  evangelist  in 
this  way,  read  them  all  in  succession  a  third  time«  At  this 
time  you  will  be  able,  no  doubt,  to  cancel  many  of  your 
marks.  Then  read  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  which  is  the 
key  to  all  the  Epistles ;  then  the  Epistles  in  a  similar  man- 
ner. Always,  before  reading  an  epistle,  read  everything  said 
about  the  people  addressed  in  the  epistle  which  you  find  in 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  This  is  the  course  which  we 
would  take  to  understand  any  book.     You  will  no  doubt  see, 


STUDT  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES.  97 

from  what  you  read,  the  necessity  of  accompanying  all  your 
readings  with  supplications  to  the  leather  of  Lights  for  that 
instruction  which  he  has  graciously  promised  to  all  that  ask 
him,  praying  that  '  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Father  of  glory,  may  give  unto  you  the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and 
revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  Him  ;  the  eyes  of  your  under- 
standing being  enlightened,  that  ye  may  know  what  is  the 
hope  of  his  calling,  and  what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his 
inheritance  in  the  saints,  and  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness 
of  his  power  to  us-ward  who  believe,  according  to  the  work- 
ing of  his  mighty  power,  which  he  wrought  in  Christ  when 
he  raised  him  from  the  dead  and  set  him  at  his  own  right 
hand  in  the  heavenly  places.'  Eph.  i.  17-20.  'That  Christ 
may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith,  that  ye,  being  rooted  and 
grounded  in  love,  may  be  able  to  comprehend  with  all  saints 
what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and  height,  and 
to  know  the  love  of  Christ  which  passeth  knowledge,  that  ye 
might  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God.'  Eph.  iii.  17,  19. 

"  In  pursuing  this  plan,  we  have  no  doubt,  in  getting  even 
three  times  through  the  New  Testament,  that  you  will  learn 
much  more  of  the  Christian  religion  than  a  learned  divine 
could  teach  you  in  seven  years.  It  will  add,  however,  con- 
siderably to  your  advantage  should  you  find  two,  three,  ten 
or  a  dozen  similarly  disposed,  who  will  meet  and  read  and 
converse  and  pray  with  you,  and  you  with  them,  once  a  week, 
or  should  you  be  a  member  of  a  church,  walking  in  all  the 
commandments  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord.  Do,  we  entreat 
you,  make  the  experiment,  and  if  it  prove  not  so  useful  as  we 
have  hinted,  remind  us  of  it ;  tell  us  your  disappointment, 
and  then  we  will  be  desei*vedly  worthy  of  blame.  Beware 
of  having  any  commentator  or  system  before  your  eyes  or 
your  mind.  Open  the  New  Testament  as  if  mortal  man  had 
never  seen  it  before.  Your  acquaintance  with  the  Old  Testa- 
ment will  incalculably  facilitate  your  proficiency  in  the  New. 
The  time  requisite  will  be  redeemed  tirfie.  It  will  not  inter- 
fere with  your  ordinary  duties.  Oh  remember  that  this  know- 
ledge is  better  than  all  acquisitions !  that  happy  is  the  man 
VOL.  II. — G  9 


•  98  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

that '  findeth  wisdom  and  the  man  that  getteth  understanding ; 
for  the  merchandise  of  it  is  better  than  the  merchandise  of 
silver,  and  the  gain  thereof  than  fine  gold.  She  is  more  pre- 
cious than  rubies,  and  all  the  things  thou  canst  desire  are  not 
to  be  compared  unto  her.  Length  of  days  is  in  her  right 
hand,  and  in  her  left,  riches  and  honor.  Her  ways  are  ways 
of  pleasantness  and  all  her  paths  are  peace.  She  is  a  tree  of 
life  to  them  that  lay  hold  upon  her,  and  happy  is  every  one 
that  retaineth  her.' "  Prov.  iii.  13,  18. 

Such  directions  were  really  needed  at  this  period  by 
the  religious  community,  as  few  amongst  them  deemed 
themselves  authorized  or  competent  to  derive  religious 
instruction  directly  from  the  Bible.  Men  had  converted 
religion  into  the  science  of  theology.  Each  party  had 
its  own  theories,  which  its  own  clergy  were  appointed 
to  inculcate,  and  in  harmony  with  which  the  Scripture 
must  be  constantly  explained.  **  Divinity"  had  become 
one  of  the  **  learned  professions,"  and  as  the  client  pre- 
sumed not  to  judge  the  law  for  himself,  but  relied  upon 
the  opinion  of  his  lawyer,  or  the  patient  upon  that  of  his 
physician,  so  the  laity  ventured  not  to  determine  the 
meaning  of  the  Scripture  for  themselves,  but  depended 
upon  their  clergy  for  its  interpretation.  As  each  sect, 
however,  had  a  different  theory,  and  by  consequence  a 
different  interpretation  of  the  Bible,  many  were  disposed 
to  say  to  each  as  Mary  Qjieen  of  Scots  said  to  John 
Knox,  in  referring  to  his  teachings  and  those  of  the 
priests :  "  You  interpret  the  Scriptures  in  one  way,  and 
they  in  another;  whom  shall  I  believe,  and  who  shall 
be  judge  ?"  Mr.  Campbell's  response  to  such  inquiries 
was  simply  the  noble  reply  which  the  uncompromising 
Reformer  made  to  the  queen  :  *' You  shall  believe  God," 
said  Knox,  **  who  plainly  speaketh  in  his  word ;  and 
further  than  the  word  teacheth  you,  you  shall  believe 


OUTGROWTHS  OP  BIGOTRY. 

neither  the  one  nor  the  other.  The  word  of  God  is 
plain  in  itself,  and  if  there  appear  any  obscurity  in  one 
place,  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  is  never  contrary  to  him- 
self, explains  the  same  more  clearly  in  other  places,  so 
that  there  can  remain  no  doubt  but  unto  such  as  are  ob- 
stinately ignorant." — McCri^s  Life  of  John  Knox^  p. 
228. 

As  the  ** Christian  Baptist"  began  now  to  be  more 
extensively  circulated,  and  the  Scriptures  more  carefully 
studied,  many  minds  became  freed  from  the  religious 
systems  and  theories  of  the  times.  In  Pittsburg,  after 
the  meeting  of  the  Redstone  Association  in  1823,  a 
greater  degree  of  intimacy  took  place  between  Walter 
Scott  and  Sidney  Rigdon,  and  their  respective  congre- 
gations, so  that,  in  1824,  a  union  was  consummated  be- 
tween them.  A  few  members  of  the  Baptist  church 
who  refused  to  unite  were  then  recognized  by  the  com- 
mittee of  the  Association  as  the  only  legitimate  Baptist 
church  in  Pittsburg.  These  results  of  the  principles 
urged  by  Mr.  Campbell  greatly  provoked  his  opposers, 
who  renewed  their  efforts  to  excite  the  public  against 
him.  Taking  advantage  of  the  prejudices  thus  created, 
an  impostor,  called  Thomas  T.  Counceil,  claiming  to  be 
a  Baptist  preacher,  and  with  forged  .credentials  in  his 
pocket  in  the  name  of  Messrs.  Frey,  Wheeler,  Luse 
and  Brownfield,  traveled  about  through  Western  Penn- 
sylvania, railing  against  Mr.  Campbell  and  urgently 
soliciting  contributions.  Another  individual,  who  made 
himself  quite  notorious  about  this  time,  was  Lawrence 
Greatrake,  a  regular  Baptist  preacher,  of  a  restless 
spirit  and  strong  passions,  who  occupied  himself  in 
itinerating  through  the  country,  wherever  he  could  ob- 
tain a  hearing,  either  in  Baptist  or  Psedobaptist  congre- 
gations, breathing  forth  misrepresentation  and  abuse  of 


lOO         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

Mr.  Campbell  and  his  teachings.  The  bitter  spirit,  how- 
ever, by  which  he  was  characterized,  rendered  his  reck- 
less assertions  doubtful  to  thoughtful  and  impartial 
hearers,  and  served  rather  to  further  the  Reformation  by 
exciting  their  curiosity  to  read  Mr.  Campbell's  writings 
or  to  hear  him  for  themselves.  As  to  Mr.  Greatrake,  he 
continued  his  itinerant  labors  for  a  considerable  time, 
and  published  a  scurrilous  pamphlet  against  Mr.  Camp- 
bell ;  but  afterward,  falling  into  disgrace,  became  an 
apostate,  and  finally,  in  passing  through  a  piece  of 
woods  on  his  way  to  a  place  of  shelter,  was  suddenly 
crushed  to  death  by  a  falling  tree. 

Among  the  churches  of  the  Western  Reserve,  mean- 
while, the  new  views  were  making  rapid  and  compara- 
tively peaceful  progress.  Hence  when,  in  September, 
1824,  Mr.  Campbell  was  sent,  in  conjunction  with  John 
Brown  and  George  Young,  as  a  messenger  from  the 
church  at  Wellsburg,  now  consisting  of  forty  members, 
to  propose  a  union  with  that  body,  he  was  very  kindly 
received.  The  meeting  this  year  was  held  at  Hubbard, 
in  Trumbull  county.  Adamson  Bentley,  who  had  been 
moderator  at  the  previous  meeting,  preached  the  intro- 
ductor}'^  sermon  from  John  iii.  16,  17.  Thomas  Miller 
was  then  chosen  moderator,  and  E.  Leavitt  clerk.  Upon 
the  minutes  it  is  entered  as  the  sixth  item :  **At  the 
request  of  the  Church  of  Christ  at  Wellsburg  it  was  re- 
ceived into  this  Association."  In  conformitj^  with  the 
rules  of  the  Association,  Mr.  Campbell  presented  on 
this  occasion  a  written  statement  of  belief  which  he  had 
prepared,  and  which  was  duly  received  and  entered 
upon  the  records.  The  simple  declarations  of  this  docu- 
ment, and  its  constant  reference  to  the  Scriptures,  form 
quite  a  contrast  with  the  detailed  enumerations  of  theo- 
logical and  speculative  questions  always  found  in  the 


PROGRESS  OF  TRUTH.  lOl 

church  creeds  of  this  period.  In  the  character  of  the 
queries  sent  up  from  the  churches  to  this  meeting  the 
working  of  the  reformatory  principles  may  be  readily 
traced,  and  their  progress  may  be  still  more  distinctly 
observed  in  the  answers  appended,  which,  however, 
were  postponed  to  the  next  meeting  of  the  Associa- 
tion, and  are  here  added  from  the  minutes  of  that  year 
(1825)  : 

"  Queries  from  Nelson  Church. — i.  Will  this  Association 
hold  in  its  connection  a  church  which  acknowledges  no  other 
rule  of  faith  and  practice  than  the  Scriptures?  Answer :  Yes, 
on  satisfactory  evidence  that  they  walk  according  to  this  rule. 
2.  In  what  manner  were  members  received  into  churches  set 
in  order  by  the  apostles  ?  Answer :  Those  who  believed  and 
were  baptized  were  added  to  the  churches.  3.  How  were 
members  excluded  from  the  church  ?  Answer :  By  a  vote  of 
the  brethren. 

"  ^uery  from  New  Lisbon  Church. — Is  it  scriptural  to 
license  a  brother  to  administer  the  word  and  not  the  ordi- 
nances? Answer:  We  have  no  such  custom  taught  in  the 
Scriptures. 

^^  ^uery  from  Randolph  Church. — Can  Associations  in 
their  present  modifications  find  their  model  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment ?    Answer :  Not  exactly. 

"  ^uery  from  Toungstorwn  Church. — ^Was  the  practice 
of  the  primitive  Church  an  exact  pattern  to  succeeding  ages, 
and  is  every  practice  designed  for  good  to  be  receded  from 
which  was  not  the  practice  of  the  primitive  saints  in  their 
peculiar  circumstances?  Answer:  It  is  the  duty  and  high 
privilege  of  every  Christian  to  aim  at  an  ex;act  conformitv 
to  the  example  of  the  churches  set  in  order  by  the  aposdes, 
and  to  endeavor  to  imitate  them  in  all  things  imitable  by 
them." 

The  attention  of  these  churches  had  thus  evidently 
been  strongly  directed  to  the  primitive  Church  as  the 


I02        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL. 

true  model  for  succeeding  ages ;  the  spirit  of  inquiry 
had  been  awakened ;  there  was  manifestly  a  searching 
of  the  Scriptures,  under  the  impression  that  these  were 
intelligible  to  the  common  mind ;  and  a  disposition  to 
call  in  question  such  religious  customs  and  opinions  as 
were  destitute  of  Divine  authority. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Visit  to  Kentucky— Experimental  Religion— Virginia  and  Kentucky  Baptist 
preachers—"  Christian  Baptist"— Work  of  the  Spuit— Andent  order  of 
things— Tour  in  Virginia— R.  B.  Semple — Christian  communion— Pro- 
gress of  truth. 

SOON  after  his  return  from  the  meeting  of  the  Mahon- 
ing Association  in  September,  1824,  Mr.  Campbell 
paid  his  promised  visit  to  Kentucky.  During  his  tour, 
which  occupied  nearly  three  months,  he  visited  a  large 
portion  of  the  State,  addressing  everywhere  large  a.udi- 
ences,  and  greatly  extending  his  influence  and- acquaint- 
ance with  the  Baptists.  The  notions  he  had  entertained 
concerning  them  as  a  people  in  the  early  part  of  his 
ministry  had  been  greatly  changed  by  his  intercourse 
with  them,  so  that  he  had  learned  to  esteem  them  very 
highly,  and  to  regard  them  as  much  nearer  the  primi- 
tive pattern  than  any  other  religious  denomination.  He 
regarded  their  conceptions  of  the  Church  of  Christ  as 
essentially  correct,  and  thought  it  would  not  be  difficult 
to  eliminate  from  the  Baptist  churches  such  erroneous 
theories  and  usages  as  had  gained  admission. 

It  was  with  these  convictions  that  he  now  visited  the 
Baptists  of  Kentucky,  in  order  to  impart  to  them,  as  well 
as  to  the  community  at  large,  those  clearer  views  of  the 
gospel  to  which  his  own  mind  had  been  conducted  by 
the  careful  study  of  the  Sacred  Oracles.  These,  to  some 
extent,  he  had  already  presented  during  the  past  year 
in  the  successive  numbers  of  the  '*  Christian  Baptist, *• 


104        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

which  had  been  read  throughout  Kentucky  with  great 
avidity,  and  had  produced  considerable  excitement 
among  the  churches.  Some  individuals  were  favorably 
impressed  with  the  plea  for  reform  ;  others  remained  in 
perplexity  and  doubt,  while  not  a  few  were  disposed  to 
cling  tenaciously  to  their  cherished  opinions.  All  were 
ready  to  admit  that  a  bright  star  had  risen  in  the  East 
among  the  Baptists,  but  whether  it  would  guide  them 
nearer  to  Jesus,  or,  like  a  passing  meteor,  leave  them  in 
greater  darkness,  none  seemed  as  yet  able  to  determine. 
When  at  length,  in  the  March  number  of  the  first 
volume,  with  that  truthful  candor  so  characteristic  of 
him,  Mr.  Campbell  discussed  the  subject  of  **  Experi- 
mental Religion,"  showing  the  expression  itself,  as  well 
as  the  popular  notion  connected  with  it,  to  be  unscrip- 
tural,  a  great  number  became  offended,  and  many  mis- 
representations of  his  real  sentiments  were  circulated 
abroad.  He  was  charged  with  *'  denying  the  necessity 
of  being  born  again  by  the  Spirit  of  God ;"  with  '*  con- 
fining all  grace  to  the  apostolic  age;"  with  being  "  an 
enemy  to  heart-religion,"  etc. 

It  will  not  appear  strange,  indeed,  to  one  familiar 
with  human  nature,  that  such  impressions  should  have 
been  made  in  the  existing  condition  of  religious  society 
by  so  direct  an  assault  upon  one  of  the  most  favorite 
notions  of  the  time.  Theological  systems  had  then 
entire  control  of  the  public  mind.  Through  these  alone 
men  were  accustomed  to  look  at  the  Scripture,  which 
in  all  cases  received  its  law  of  interpretation  from  the 
particular  theory  which  had  been  previously  adopted. 
The  various  points  of  Calvinism  or  of  Arminianism,  and 
the  metaphysical  speculations  of  ingenious  theological 
writers,  such  as  John  Gill  and  Andrew  Fuller,  were 
then  the  great  themes  of  public  discourses  and  of  private 


RELIGIOUS  EXPERIENCES,  105 

converse.  Among  the  theories  in  vogue  there  was  no 
one  so  generally  popular  as  that  which  attributed  con- 
version to  '*  the  direct  and  irresistible  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit."  Such  were  the  views  entertained  of  man's 
utter  depravity  and  inability  that  he  was  supposed  to 
be  incapable  even  of  receiving  the  gospel,  or  of  believ- 
ing aright  the  testimony  of  God  without  a  special  opera- 
tion of  the  Spirit,  which  was  supposed  to  be  withheld 
or  granted  according  to  the  sovereign  will  and  pleasure 
of  God.  It  was  conceived  to  be  the  great  and  chief 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  salvation  of  men  thus  to 
create  the  soul  anew  by  an  overwhelming  power,  a  sud- 
den and  mysterious  spiritual  baptism,  wholly  apart  from 
the  influence  of  the  word  of  God,  which,  like  the  sinner 
himself,  was  supposed  to  be  '*  dead"  until  specially  ap- 
plied and  made  effective  by  the  Spirit.  The  minds  of 
men  were  thus  directed,  not  to  the  evidences  and  assur- 
ances furnished  by  the  word  of  God,  but  to  the  varying 
moods  of  the  mind  and  the  fitful  feelings  of  the  heart. 
On  these,  when  adjudged  by  some  fanciful  standard  to 
be  genuine,  they  were  led  to  rely,  and  hence  to  such 
inward  impressions  was  naturally  transferred  the  office 
which  baptism  subserved  in  the  primitive  Church,  and 
of  which  it  had  been  divested  in  the  modern ;  and  every 
one  who  had  a  *' religious  experience,"  as  it  was  termed, 
was  accustomed  to  refer  to  it  as  the  assurance  of  his 
pardon  and  acceptance  with  God,  as  well  as  his  title  to 
church  membership  and  Christian  fellowship.  It  can 
be  easily  seen,  therefore,  how  a  free  criticism  upon  that 
which,  in  the  popular  view,  constituted  the  very  essence 
of  true  religion,  must  necessarily  give  offence  and  create 
misapprehension. 

Mr.  Campbell,  however,  desired  simply  to  vindicate 
the  claims  of  the  word  of  God,  which  he  believed  to  be 


io6        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

set  entirely  aside  by  the  doctrine  in  question,  and  to  in- 
duce men  to  "  look  off  to  Christ,"  rather  than  to  trust 
in  their  own  frames  and  feelings.  Like  the  Haldanes 
and  their  pious  coadjutor,  John  Campbell,  he  had 
learned  to  rest  on  the  promises  of  God,  and  desired  that 
all  should  enjoy  the  permanent  and  blessed  assurance 
thus  afforded.  He  occupied,  indeed,  a  very  different 
point  of  view  from  the  preachers  of  the  time,  and  his 
mind  ranged  in  a  much  wider  sphere.  As,  before  the 
time  of  Bacon,  the  facts  of  nature  were  explained  or 
perverted  to  suit  the  theories  of  philosophers,  so  now 
the  facts  and  teachings  of  the  Bible  were  applied  and 
interpreted  to  suit  the  various  systems  of  theology. 
Lifting  himself  above  all  human  theories  and  specula- 
tions, Mr.  Campbell  strictly  applied  the  inductive 
method  to  the  Bible,  and  made  its  facts  and  revelations 
the  great  basis  of  religious  thought  and  the  sure  founda- 
tion of  all  religious  trust.  His  method  of  discoursing 
was  hence  totally  unlike  that  of  other  preachers.  In 
discussing  the  great  themes  of  salvation,  he  manifested 
a  breadth  of  view,  a  depth  of  biblical  knowledge,  a 
freshness  of  thought  and  a  grandeur  in  his  combinations 
of  facts  and  arguments  which  imparted  instruction  and 
delight.  At  his  bidding,  the  facts  of  Scripture  seemed 
to  acquire  new  force  and  meaning ;  a  connected  train 
of  scriptural  truths  and  illustrations  opened  up  unex- 
pected and  lofty  views  of  the  Divine  plan  of  redemption ; 
while,  ascending  to  higher  planes  of  thought,  he  left  far 
beneath  him  the  controversies  and  difficulties  of  all 
human  systems,  as  the  eagle  soaring  aloft  in  the  sun- 
light leaves  far  below  him  the  stormy  clouds  that 
darken  the  mountain's  brow  or  overspread  the  valley 
with  gloom  and  desolation. 

Under  the  circumstances  above  detailed,  Mr.  Camp- 


INCONSISTENT  DOCTRINE.  107 

bell's  tour  among  the  Baptist  churches  in  Kentucky 
gave  rise  to  a  great  diversity  of  feeling.  This  may 
be  best  conceived,  however,  from  the  impressions  he 
made  on  some  prominent  individuals  who  subsequently 
acted  an  important  part  in  favoring  or  opposing  the 
Reformation.  Among  the  former,  John  Smith  deserves 
particular  mention.  He  was  a  Baptist  preacher,  who 
without  education,  and  amidst  many  difficulties  and 
trials,  had  raised  himself,  by  his  extraordinary  natural 
abilities,  to  great  and  merited  distinction.  He  pos- 
sessed a  practical  sagacity,  a  largeness  of  heart  and 
mind  and  a  clearness  and  quickness  of  insight  such 
as  are  rarely  found.  To  these  he  added  an  unfail- 
ing memory,  a  remarkable  talent  for  genial  humor 
and  unequaled  skill  at  repartee,  so  that  his  witty  replies 
became  familiarly  known  throughout  the  State.  He 
possessed  withal  great  candor,  a  deep  and  fervent  love 
of  truth,  and  had  a  mind  so  constituted  that  he  could 
not  feel  satisfied  with  any  doctrine  or  system  if  it  ap- 
peared to  him  in  any  way  inconsistent  with  itself. 
Hence,  it  was  that  although  he  had  adopted  the  Cal- 
vinian  theory  held  by  the  Baptists,  and  was  thoroughly 
conversant  with  the  points  of  controversy  debated  with 
Arminians,  he  never  could  fairly  reconcile  in  his  own 
mind,  in  their  practical  aspects,  some  of  the  tenets 
which  his  system  obliged  him  to  teach.  On  one  occa- 
sion in  1822,  at  Spencer  Creek  meeting-house,  while  in 
the  midst  of  a  warm  exhortation,  he  was  suddenly  so 
struck  with  one  of  these  inconsistencies  of  doctrine,  be- 
tween the  freeness  of  the  gospel  and  the  Calvinian 
theory,  that  he  stopped  short,  and  afler  a  pause,  ex- 
claimed to  the  surprised  audience,  ^'  Something  is 
wrong  among  us,  but  how  to  get  it  right  I  know  not  1" 
Well  assured,  however,  that  no  such  contradictions  could 


Io8        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL, 

exist  in  the  Scriptures,  he  from  this  time  devoted  him- 
self to  a  more  careful  examination  of  the  word  of  God, 
in  order  to  discover,  if  possible,  where  his  theological 
system  had  departed  from  it. 

He  had  heard  of  Mr.  Campbell's  debate  with  Walker, 
and  had  desired  to  attend  the  McCalla  debate,  but  was 
hindered  by  sickness  in  his  family.     Being  presented 

with  a  prospectus  of  the  *<  Christian  Baptist"  by  Buck- 

< 

ner  H.  Payne  of  Mount  Sterling,  and  finding  that  Mr. 
Campbell  intended  to  discuss  certain  questions  which 
had  given  him  much  trouble,  he  at  once  subscribed  for 
it,  and  read  the  numbers  with  much  interest,  though 
greatly  doubting  many  of  the  positions  which  were 
taken.  When  the  essay  on  '•  Experimental  Religion" 
appeared,  he  hardly  knew  what  to  think  of  it,  but, 
though  some  of  his  Baptist  friends  were  much  dis- 
pleased and  withdrew  their  subscriptions,  he  was  so 
fascinated  by  Mr.  Campbell's  perspicuous  and  lively 
style  of  writing  that  he  continued  to  take  the  paper. 
When  he  heard  of  Mr.  Campbell's  arrival  in  Kentucky 
in  1824,  and  learned  that  he  designed  to  visit  Flem- 
ingsburg,  he  thought  it  proper  to  go  and  meet  him 
there  and  conduct  him  to  Mount  Sterling,  where  he 
himself  then  lived,  and  where  Mr.  Campbell  had  his  next 
appointment.  On  entering  the  town,  he  met  with  Wil- 
liam Vaughan,  who  had  been  with  Mr.  Campbell  for 
eight  days  and  nights,  during  his  tour  through  Mason 
and  Bracken  counties,  and  had  heard  him  preach  every 
day.  The  introduction  that  followed,  and  the  succeeding 
incidents,  may  be  best  given  as  related  by  John  Smith, 
himself,  to  his  friend  Albert  Allen  of  Fayette  county : 

*'  *  Well,'  said  I  to  Elder  Vaughan,  '  what  are  his  religious 
views  on  doctrinal  points?  Is  he  a  Calvinist  or  Arminian, 
an  Arian  or  a  Trinitarian  ?' 


PERSONAL  IMPRESSIONS.  109 

*'  His  answer  was, '  I  do  not  know ;  he  has  nothing  to  do 
with  any  of  these  things.' 

^'  I  answered,  /could  tell  when  I  heard  him,  what  he  was. 

"'How?' said  he. 

'^  I  replied,  he  is  a  man  of  sense^  and,  if  he  takes  a  position 
and  does  not  run  out  into  any  of  these  isms^  I  can  tell  where 
he  would  land  if  it  was  run  out.  I  asked  again,  'But  do  you 
'think  he  knows  anything  about  heartfelt  religion  ?' 

"  '  God  bless  you,  Brother  John  !*  said  he ;  '  he  is  one  of  the 
most  pious,  godly  men  I  was  ever  in  company  with  in  my 
life.' 

'' '  But  do  you  think  he  knows  anything  about  a  Christian 
experience  ?' 

"  '  Why,  Lord  bless  you  !  he  knows  everything'.  Come,  I 
want  to  introduce  you  to  him.' 

"  We  went  to  the  house.  Says  Brother  Vaughan, '  Brother 
'  Campbell,  I  want  to  introduce  you  to  Brother  John  Smith.' 

"'Ah,'  said  he,  'iis  this  Brother  Smith?  Well,  I  know 
Brother  Smith  pretty  well,  although  I  have  never  seen  him 
before.' 

"  I  then  felt  as  if  I  wanted  to  sit  down  and  look  at  him  for 
one  hour,  without  hearing  a  word  from  any  one.  I  wanted 
to  scan  him  who  had  been  so  much  talked  of,  and  who  had, 
in  the  '  Christian  Baptist,'  and  in  his  debates,  introduced  so 
many  new  thoughts  into  my  mind.  •  Time  had  now  come, 
however,  to  start  to  the  meeting-house,  and  we  all  started. 
On  reaching  there,  the  house  being  small,  we  found  prepara- 
tions had  been  made  for  seating  the  congregation  on  logs  and 
planks  in  the  rear  of  the  house.  A  small  stand  of  planks, 
laid  on  blocks  against  the  wall,  had  been  erected  for  the 
speaker.  These  accommodations,  however,  were  not  suffi- 
cient for  the  immense  crowd,  and  many  had  to  stand  up.  I 
took  my  seat  on  one  end  of  the  plank  on  which  he  stood,  de- 
termined now  to  find  out  to  what  ism  he  belonged  in  point  of 
doctrine,  for  I  was  full  of  doubt  and  suspicion. 

"  He  commenced  in  the  usual  way,  and  read  the  allegory 
of  Sarah   and   Hagar  in   the  fourth  chapter  of  Galatians. 

10 


no         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

After  a  general  outline  of  the  whole  epistle,  and  how  it  ought 
to  be  read,  in  order  to  a  correct  understanding  of  the  apostle's 
meaning,  he  commenced  directly  on  the  allegory*  I  watched 
all  the  time  with  my  whole  mind  to  find  out  to  what  ism  he 
belonged,  but  he  seemed  to  move  in  a  higher  sphere  th^n 
that  in  which  these  isms  abounded.  In  a  simple,  plain  and 
artless  manner,  leaning  with  one  hand  on  the  head  of  his 
cane,  he  went  through  his  discourse.  No  gesture  or  any 
kind  of  mannerism  characterized  him,  or  served  to  call  off 
the  mind  from  what  was  being  said. 

"  The  congregation  being  dismissed,  I  said  to  Brother 
Vaughan,  *  Is  it  not  a  little  hard  to  ride  thirty  miles  to  hear  a 
man  preach  thirty  minutes?* 

'^  ^  Oh,'  said  he,  ^  he  has  been  longer  than  that.  Look  at 
your  watch.' 

^*  On  looking,  I  found  it  had  been  two  hours  and  thirty 
minutes^  and  simply  said,  ^  Two  hours  of  my  time  are  gone 
and  I  know  not  how,  though  wide  awake* 

"  Returning  to  Brother  Reynolds',  Brother  Vaughan  asked 
me,  '  Did  you  Jind  out  whether  he  was  a  Calvinist  or  an  Ar- 
minian  ?' 

"  '  No  ;  I  know  nothing  about  him,  but,  be  he  devil  or  saint, 
he  has  thrown  more  light  on  that  epistle  and  the  whole  Scrip- 
tures than  I  have  heard  in  all  the  sermons  I  ever  listened  to 
before.'  Soon  after  dinner,  in  company  with  four  or  five 
other  preachers,  among  whom  were  Brothers  Payne,  Vaughan 
and  old  William  Moss,  we  started  for  Brother  Cannon's,  who 
lived  some  three  or  four  miles  off,  on  the  road  to  Mt.  Sterling. 

"  Going  along,  I  threw  myself  in  company  with  Brother 
Campbell,  to  ride  with  him.  In  the  commencement  of  our 
conversation,  I  made  a  remark  to  him. like  this:  'Brother 
Campbell,  I  de  not  wish  to  meet  any  man  in  judgment,  hav- 
ing entertained  an  unfavorable  opinion  of  him  without  good 
grounds,  and  I  will  now  say  to  you  what  I  have  never  said 
to  any  man  before — that,  religiously  speaking,  I  am  sus' 
picious  of  you,  and  having  an  unfavorable  opinion  of  you, 
I  am  willing  to  give  the  reasons  why.' 


EXPERIENCE   VALID.  Ill 

"  '  Well,  Brother  John/  said  he,  *  if  all  my  Baptist  brethren 
would  treat  me  as  candidly  as  you  have  done,  I  would  think 
more  of  them,  as  it  would  afford  me  an  opportunity  to  ex- 
plain my  views.* 

."  But  before  I  could  reply,  he  laughed  and  said,  'I  expected 
when  I  saw  you,  to  know  all  you  thought  of  me ;'  and  then 
told  me  he  had  heard  that  during  the  Bracken  Association, 
held  in  Carlisle  last  September,  a  number  of  preachers  went 
to  a  certain  house  for  dinner,  and  were  abusing  me  terribly 
for  the  attack  I  had  made  upon  the  clergy,  when  you  said 
that '  the  clergy  needed  so  much  of  such  abuse  that  you  were 
willing  to  be  whipped  almost  to  death  to  get  the  others 
killed.' 

''  I  told  him  I  had  so  said,  and  did  it  sincerely,  too.  I  then 
mentioned  the  strange  piece  before  alluded  to,  on  '  experi- 
mental religion,'  and  suggested  that  something  must  be  hid- 
den behind  that,  as  I  knew  he  understood  as  well  as  any  one 
what  the  *  populars'  meant  by  experimental  religion,  and  was 
not  so  ignorant  as  the  piece  would  seem  to  intimate. 

"  '  My  father,'  said  he,  '  gave  me  a  scolding  for  publishing 
that  piece  too  soon,  as  he  thought  the  people  were  not  ready 
for  it.  But  I  have  a  series  of  essays  on  hand  on  the  work 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  will  explain  the  whole  matter,  and 
this  was  only  thrown  out  to  call  the  attention  of  the  clergy.' 

"  On  the  next  morning  we  parted*  company  with  the  bal- 
ance of  the  preachers,  and  Brother  Campbell  and  myself 
started  for  Mt.  Sterling.  Much  interesting  conversation  took 
place  on  the  way,  and  conduced  much  to  my  correct  under- 
standing of  his  views.  I  will  not  attempt  to  relate  all  that 
passed.  One  little  incident  I  will  relate.  Having  crossed 
Licking  River  and  riding  slowly  up  the  bank,  I  asked  Brother 
Campbell  to  tell  me  his  experience.  He  readily  did  so,  and 
in  turn  asked  a  relation  of  mine,  which  was  given. 

"After  hearing  his  experience,  I  would  cheerfully  have 
given  him  the  hand  of  fellowship.  It  was  one  which  any 
Baptist  church  would  have  cheerfully  received,  and  was 
almost  substantially  such  as  mine.     He  took  occasion  to  say 


1 1 2    MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

that  he  had  never  discarded  the  existence  of  such  experiences 
on  the  part  of  the  sinner,  but  objected  to  the  use  made  of 
such  things,  as  determining  the  proper  prerequisites  of  bap* 
tism,  and  went  on  to  explain  the  necessity  of  taking  the 
word  of  God,  rather  than  our  feelings,  as  guides  in  such 
things. 

"  Many  other  questions  were  asked  by  me,  and  explained 
by  him,  till  we  reached  Mt.  Sterling.  Here  I  heard  from 
him  three  discourses,  and  going  on  as  far  as  North  Middle- 
ton,  I  parted  with  him. 

"  This,  to  me,  interesting  sojourn  with  Brother  Campbell, 
led  to  the  removal  of  many  obstacles  and  to  the  solution  of 
many  difficulties  of  a  religious  kind,  and  lef^  me  persuaded  of 
better  things  of  him  than  when  we  first  met.  But  it  was  not 
until  afler.a  year  of  careful  examination  of  the  Scriptures 
that  I  was  fully  convinced  of  the  scripturality  of  his  views, 
and  commenced  the  advocacy  of  the  Bible  as  a  sufficient  rule 
of  faith  and  practice." 

From  this  narrative  it  will  be  seen  that  Mr.  Camp- 
bell was  not  opposed  to  "  religious  experiences,"  but 
to  the  use  made  of  them  as  substitutes  for  that  assurance 
which  is  derived  from  the  word  of  God — that  simple 
trust  in  Jesus  which  the  gospel  requires.  He  believed, 
as  Moses  Stuart,  of  Andover,  said  upon  his  deathbed, 
that  •*  feelings  in  religious  experience  are  deceptive;" 
and,  like  that  eminent  man,  sought  to  rescue  the  Bible 
from  its  slavery  to  theological  systems,  to  restore  its 
free  meaning  as  the  true  reliance  of  the  soul,  and  to 
direct  the  attention  to  the  ///e  as  the  proper  evidence  of 
faith  and  the  true  test  of  fealty.  He  was  convinced, 
to  use  the  language  of  the  great  and  good  Dr.  Way- 
land,  that  "  the  moral  sense  of  men  and  the  Bible  were, 
by  the  power  that  originated  both,  adapted  to  each 
other."  Hence,  he  believed  with  the  latter  *'that  if 
the  truths  of  the  word  of  God  were  brought  near  to 


PRIMITIVE  FAITH.  1 13 

the  soul,  the  effect  must  be  felt,"  and  in  harmony  with 
this  belief,  like  the  primitive  laborers,  he  **  ceased  not 
to  preach  and  to  teach  Christ,"  being  divinely  assured 
that  **  faith  comes  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word 
of  God."  Whatever  metaphysical  theories  men  might 
adopt  as  to  the  operations  of  the  mind,  he  could  see  no 
propriety  in  the  attempt  to  make  conversion,  in  all  its 
details,  conform  to  such  human  systems,  in  order  to 
secure  an  acceptance  which,  in  the  beginnings  was  ac- 
corded to  all  those  who  "  hearing,  believed  and  were 
baptized."* 


•The  account  which  Dr.  Wayland  gives  of  his  own  religious  struggles  is 
so  striking  a  commentary  on  the  views  advocated  by  Mr.  Campbell,  and  so 
strongly  confirmatory  of  their  correctness,  that  it  is  here  subjoined :  "  I  had 
marked  out  for  myself,"  said  he,  "  a  plan  of  conversion  in  accordance  with 
the  prevailing  theological  notions.  First,  I  must  have  agonizing  convictions, 
then  deep  and  overwhelming  repentance,  then  a  view  of  Christ  as  my  Saviour, 
which  should  fill  me  with  transports,  and  from  all  this  would  proceed  a  new 
and  holy  life.  Until  this  was  done,  I  could  perform  no  work  pleasing  to  God, 
and  all  that  I  could  do  was  abomination  in  his  sight  For  these  emotions, 
then,  I  prayed,  but  received  nothing  in  answer  which  corresponded  to  my 
theory  of  conversion.  I  devoted  I  know  not  how  much  time  to  prayer  and 
reading  the  Scriptures,  to  the  exclusion  of  every  other  pursuit  This,  how- 
ever, could  not  be  continued  always.  I  recommenced  my  usual  duties,  making 
this,  however,  my  paramount  concern.  I  attended  religious  meetings  and 
derived  pleasure  from  them.  I  read  only  religious  books.  I  determined 
that  if  I  perished,  I  would  perish  seeking  the  forgiveness  of  God  and  an 
interest  in  the  Saviour. 

"At  the  time  when  I  thus  resolved  to  seek  in  earnest  the  salvation  of  my 
soul  there  was  in  none  of  the  churches  of  Troy  any  religious  interest  It  was 
a  period  of  unusual  indifference  to  religion.  But  while  I  was  in  this  con- 
dition a  very  extensive  revival  commenced.  I  was  deeply  interested  in  it, 
and  attended  all  the  meetings,  hoping  to  hear  something  that  would  tend  to 
my  spiritual  good.  I  found  that  I  loved  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  that  I 
earnestly  desired  the  salvation  of  souls,  and  felt  a  love  for  Christians  such  as 
I  never  felt  before.  But  I  could  not  believe  that  the  light  which  had  gradually 
dawned  upon  my  soul  was  anything  more  than  was  taught  by  the  precepts  of 
men.  Everything  in  religion  seemed  to  me  so  reasonable  that  all  which  I 
felt  seemed  to  arise  from  the  mere  logical  deductions  of  the  intellect,  in  which 
the  heart,  the  inmost  soul,  had  no  part    I  met  with  the  young  converts,  and 

TOL.  II,— H  10  * 


1 14        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

Continuing,  during  his  tour,  to  meet  his  daily  appoint- 
ments, and  occupied  at  night  often  to  a  late  hour  with 
crowds  of  anxious  inquirers  who  sought  religious  in- 

with  them  engaged  in  devotions,  but  could  not  believe  that  the  promise  of 
the  Gospel  was  intended  for  me. 

"  I  remember  at  this  time  to  have  had  a  long  and  interesting  conversation 
with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Mattison,  a  Baptist  minister  from  Shaftsbury,  Vermont  It 
was  of  the  nature  of  an  earnest  argument,  in  which  he  endeavored  to  prove 
that  I  was  a  regenerate  person,  and  I  as  strenuously  contended  that  it  was 
quite  out  of  the  question.  I  could  not  deny  that  there  had  been  a  change  in 
me,  but  the  change  had  been  so  reasonable  and  so  slight  in  degree  that  I 
could  not  be  a  child  of  God.  Yet  the  conversation  did  me  good.  In  looking 
back  upon  this  period  of  my  life,  I  perceive  that  much  of  my  doubt  and  distrust 
was  owing  to  the  pride  of  my  own  heart.  I  had  formed  my  own  theory  of 
conversion,  and  I  did  not  like  to  confess  that  I  was  wrong.  I  wished  to  have 
a  clear  and  convincing  experience,  so  that  I  might  never  doubt  of  myself  nor 
others  doubt  concerning  me.  I  desired  to  be  the  subject  of  a  striking  con- 
version, and  was  not  willing  to  take,  with  humility  and  gratitude,  whatever  it 
should  please  God  to  give  me.  He  in  mercy  disappointed  me,  and  made  me 
willing  to  accept  his  grace  in  any  manner  that  he  chose  to  bestow  it. 

"  Whenever  I  now  have  occasion  (as  I  often  have)  to  converse  with  per- 
sons in  this  state  of  mind,  I  do  not  argue  much  with  them.  I  set  before 
them  the  love  of  God  in  Christ,  the  fullness  and  frecness  of  the  offer  of  salva- 
tion, and  the  sincerity  of  God  in  revealing  it  to  us,  and  I  urge  them  at  once 
to  submit  themselves  to  God ;  not  to  be  willing  merely  to  do  it,  but  to  do  it. 
If  they  will  do  this,  I  know  that  God  will  accept  them,  and  that  the  evidence 
that  he  has  done  so  will  soon  be  manifest  I  also  urge  them,  without  de- 
lay, to  begin  at  once  to  serve  God,  to  do  what  they  know  will  please  him,  to 
do  good  to  others,  to  make  sacrifices  for  Christ,  to  ask  with  Paul,  '  Lord, 
what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?'  and  do  it" 

Dr.  Wayland  finally,  upon  hearing  a  sermon  from  Luther  Rice  upon  the 
text,  "  The  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God,"  became  convinced  that  "  the 
sentiments  of  his  heart  were  in  harmony  with  the  Gospel,"  and  was  thence- 
forward freed  from  the  mental  perplexities  created  by  theology. 

How  applicable  here  the  remarks  made  by  Mr.  Campbell  in  the  "  Christian 
Baptist" (vol.  iii., No. 7)! — "The  numerous  speculations  on  the  different  kinds 
of  faith  have  pierced,  with  many  sorrows,  innumerable  hearts.  In  all  the 
varied  exhibitions  of  Christianity  much  stress  is  laid  on  faith.  And  as  soon 
as  it  is  aftirmed  that  he  that  believeth  shall  be  saved,  and  that  care  should  be 
taken  that  faith  should  be  of  the  right  kindy  the  attention  of  the  thoughtful  is 
turned  from  the  truth  to  be  believed  to  the  fiature  of  faith.  The  fears  and 
agonies  which  are  experienced  arc  not  unfrequently  about  believing  right 
The  great  concern  is  about  ttnde  faith.    This  person  is  looking  in  himself  for 


i 


KENTUCKY  B APT  IS  TS.  1 1 5 

formation  or  counsel,  Mr.  Campbell  spent,  during  more 
than  two  months,  at  least ^z/^  hours  per  day  in  these 
arduous  labors.  He  formed  thus  a  very  extensive  ac- 
quaintance, both  with  the  people  and  with  the  state  of 
religion  among  them,  which  corroborated  more  and 
more  his  sense  of  the  importance  of  a  return  to  the  sim- 
plicity of  the  primitive  faith.  Yet  he  found  the  Baptists 
of  Kentucky  a  highly-intelligent  people,  deeply  inter- 
ested in  the  subject  of  religion,  and  having  amongst 
them  many  pious  and  devoted  preachers,  some  of  whom 
were  eminently  distinguished  for  their  abilities.  The 
pioneers  of  the  Kentucky  Baptists  had  come  from  the 
eastern  part  of  Mr.  Campbell's  own  State,  Virginia ; 
from  whence,  indeed,  the  greater  part  of  the"  early  set- 
tlers in  Kentucky  had  emigrated,  carrying  with  them 
their  princely  hospitality,  their  indomitable  energy  and 
their  love  of  civil  and  religious  freedom.    David  Thomas, 

what  he  has  been  taught  are  the  true  signs  of  regeneration,  or  of  the  faith  of 
regeneration.  He  is  distressed  to  know  whether  his  faith  is  the  fruit  of  re- 
generation, or  whether  it  is  mere  historic  faith.  Unable  to  find  such  evidences 
as  he  is  in  quest  of,  he  is  distracted,  he  despairs,  he  agonizes.  He  tells  his 
case.  He  is  comforted  by  being  told  that  these  are  the  pangs  of  the  new 
birth.  He  draws  some  comfort  from  this  consideration,  which  increases  or 
decreases  as  these  pangs  are  supposed  to  be  genuine  or  the  reverse.  Thus 
he  is  tossed  to  and  fro  in  awful  uncertainties,  which  are  more  or  less  acute 
according  to  his  moral  sensibilities.  By  and  by  he  hopes  he  is  regenerate, 
and  a  calm  ensues,  and  he  is  joyous  because  he  fancies  he  has  been  regen- 
erated. Thus  his  comforts  spring  ngt  from  the  Gospel,  but  from  his  own 
opinion  of  himsel£ 

"Another,  under  the  same  system,  receives  no  comfort,  because  he  has  not 
found  the  infallible  signs  in  himself  of  being  a  triu  believer.  He  despairs — 
he  is  tormented.  He  concludes  he  is  one  of  the  reprobates.  He  is  about  to 
kill  himself.  What  about  ?  Not  because  there  is  no  Saviour,  no  forgiveness, 
no  mercy.  Not  because  the  Gospel  is  not  true,  fmt  because  it  is  trucy  and  he 
cannot  find  in  himself  the  true  signs  of  genuine  conversion.  Thousands 
have  been  ruined,  have  been  shipwrecked,  here.  This  the  Bible  never 
taught  This  case  never  occurred  under  the  apostles'  teaching.  It  is  the 
genuine  offspring  of  the  theological  schools.  It  is  the  experience  of  a  bad 
education." 


Il6         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

Svho,  about  1750,  planted  the  first  regular  Baptist 
church  in  Virginia,  had  emigrated  to  Kentucky  when 
he  was  nearly  seventy  years  of  age,  and  had  become,  in 
June,  1799,  the  second  pastor  of  the  church  at  Wash- 
ington, where,  a  quarter  of  a  century  later,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell had  held  his  debate  with  Mr.  McCalla.  David 
Thomas  was  of  Welsh  parentage,  but  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  had  been  highly  educated,  receiving  the 
degree  of  A.  M.  from  Rhode  Island  College,  now  Brown 
University.  Abundant  in  his  labors,  amidst  many  per- 
secutions, he  had  established  the  Baptist  cause  along 
the  shores  of  the  Shenandoah  and  Rappahannock, 
from  the  Potomac  to  James'  River,  from  the  unsettled 
wilderness  of  the  West  to  Richmond.  Following  some 
of  his  children  to  Kentucky,  he  found  here  his  friend 
and  former  fellow-laborer,  John  Gano,  and  being  sent 
as  one  of  the  first  messengers  from  the  newly-formed 
Braken  Association  to  that  of  Elkhorn,  he  there  found 
the  eloquent  David  Barrow,  known  for  his  suflTerings  in 
Virginia — John  Shackelford,  also,  who  had  been  there 
imprisoned  for  his  faith,  together  with  the.Craigs,  and 
John  Taylor  and  the  influential  Dudley.  Most  of  these 
early  laborers  had  long  since  gone  to  their  reward — the 
mortal  remains  of  David  Thomas,  who  became  blind 
during  the  later  years  of  his  ministry,  and  was  known 
as  the  **  Blind  Preacher,"  reposed  a  few  miles  from 
Nicholasville — ^but  their  names  were  held  in  grateful 
remembrance,  and  the  doctrines  and  usages  they  had 
advocated  still  retained  their  hold  of  the  Baptist  com- 
munity. 

Among  the  preachers  from  Virginia  still  living  in 
Kentucky  at  the  time  of  his  visit,  Mr.  Campbell  formed 
an  agreeable  acquaintance  with  Jacob  Creath,  Sr.,  who 
was  born  in  Nova  Scotia,  Feb.  27,  1777,  but  emigrat- 


JACOB  CREATH.  117 

ing  to  North  Carolina  when  ten  years  of  age,  united 
with  the  Baptists  at  twelve  and  commenced  preaching 
at  eighteen.  He  was  ordained  at  Roundabout  meet- 
ing-house, in  Louisa  county,  Virginia,  by  John  Poin- 
dexter  and  Wm.  Basket,  in  1798,  and  was  a  member 
of  the  Dover  Association  with  Robert  B.  Semple  and 
Andrew  Broaddus,  but  emigrated  to  Fayette  county, 
Kentucky,  in  1803,  succeeding  John  Gano  as  pastor  of 
the  Town  Fork  Church.  He  was  a  man  of  fine  per- 
sonal appearance,  regular  features,  an  ample  forehead 
and  remarkably  keen  and  penetrating  dark  eyes.  He 
had  a  musical  yet  strong  and  commanding  voice,  and, 
though  quite  uneducated,  possessed  such  command  of 
language  and  such  fertility  of  fancy  and  illustration 
that  he  had  been  pronounced  by  Henry  Clay  to  be  the 
finest   natural  orator  he  had  ever  heard.*      Another 


*  Elder  Creath  occupied  quite  a  conspicuous  and  influential  position,  and 
had  been  a  few  years  previously  intimately  connected  with  one  of  those  un- 
happy schisms  which  have  occasionally  occurred  among  the  Baptists  when 
associations  have  transcended  their  proper  limits  and  interfered  with  the  dis- 
cipline of  churches.  "A  difficulty  having  arisen  in  relation  to  a  matter  of 
business  between  Elder  Creath  and  Jacob. Lewis,  a  member  of  his  congrega- 
tion, the  friends  of  each  party  took  sides,  and  the  contention  spread  and 
created  parties  in  the  Association.  At  this  crisis,  Elijah  Craig,  preacher  at 
East  Hickman,  was  induced  by  some  personal  grudge  to  publish  a  pamphlet 
so  severe  and  acrimonious  against  Creath  that  the  latter  convoked  a  counci- 
of  eighteen  churches,  who  met  by  their  messengers  at  Town  Fork  meeting- 
house, July  2S,  1807.  This  council,  after  hearing  testimony,  acquitted  Creath 
of  all  the  charges  made  against  him.  The  Town  Fork  Church  then  preferred 
charges  against  Craig  before  the  Hickman  Church,  which,  after  hearing  the 
whole  case,  took  part  with  Craig  and  justified  his  charges  against  Creath.  As 
the  contention  was  carried  on  in  a  bitter  spirit,  it  spread  from  church  to  church, 
and  when  the  Elkhorn  Association  met,  as  Town  Fork  and  Hickman  churches 
had  refused  to  fellowship  each  other,  and  both  were  members  of  the  Associa- 
tion, the  case  came  up  for  decision.  On  this  occasion  Elder  Creath  delivered 
an  address  so  powerful  as  to  carry  a  majority  of  the  Association  with  him,  and 
the  arguments  of  Ambrose  Dudley,  who  replied  to  him,  failed  to  prevent  a  de* 
cision  in  his  favor.  Upon  this,  church  after  church  decided  to  leave  the  Asso- 
ciation, but  as  in  most  of  these  there  were  minorities  who  approved  the  decision 


Il8         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

preacher  of  considerable  influence  was  his  nephew,  also 
from  Virginia,  Jacob  Creath,  Jr.,  a  man  of  less  mildness 
of  disposition,  but  of  earnest  purpose  and  fearless  in 
his  advocacy  of  what  he  believed  to  be  the  truth. 

Mr.  Campbell  during  this  tour  became  acquainted 
also  with  Silas  M.  Noel,  a  Baptist  Doctor  of  Divinity, 
who  seemed  at  first  to  coincide  with  him  in  views,  but 
soon  after  became  a  virulent  opposer.  The  Warders, 
the  Wallers,  the  Paynes  and  Thomas  Bullock,  long 
moderator  of  the  Elkhorn  Association,  with  many  other 
influential  Baptists,  were  introduced  to  him  and  heard 
him  courteously.  While  at  Georgetown  he  formed  the 
acquaintance  of  Barton  W.  Stone,  already  noted  as 
well  for  his  eminent  Christian  virtues  as  for  his  efforts 
to  effect  in  Kentucky  a  religious  reformation  almost 
identical  in  its  leading  principles  and  aims  with  that  in 
which  Mr.  Campbell  was  himself  engaged.  The  two 
laborers  in  the  same  great  field  formed  at  once  a  warm, 
personal  attachment  to  each  other,  which  continued 
through  life,  and  tended  greatly  to  promote  a  subse- 
quent union  between  the  two  yet  distinct  bands  of 
reformers. 

One  of  the  political  papers,  *'  The  Monitor,"  at  Lex- 
ington, where  Mr.  Campbell  was  to  preach,  had  re- 
cently published  the  third  Epistle  of  Peter,  which  had 
greatly  exasperated  the  clergy,  and  they  had  endeavored 
to  close  the  ears  of  the  people  against  Mr.  Campbell  by 
publishing  in  return  a  portion  of  Mr.  Greatrake's  de- 


and  determined  to  adhere  to  Elkhorn,  divisions  occurred  in  these  churches, 
each  party  claiming  to  be  the  original  church.  Such  parts  of  them  as  seceded 
from  Elkhorn  then  formed  the  Licking  Association,  which,  adopting  stricter 
views  and  opposing  missions,  declined  all  fellowship  with  Elkhorn."  At 
the  time  of  Mr.  Campbell's  visit  this  division  still  existed,  and  Elder  Creath 
remained  still  connected  with  the  Elkhorn  Association,  in  which  he  wielded 
a  large  influence. 


JAMBS  CH ALLEN,  1 19 

famatory  pamphlet.  This,  however,  only  excited  the 
more  the  curiosity  of  the  people  to  hear,  and  brought 
together  an  immense  audience,  comprising  the  best  edu- 
cated and  most  intelligent  persons  in  all  that  section. 
Among  them  was  a  young  man,  about  the  medium 
height,  with  dark  hair  and  eyes  and  thoughtful  aspect, 
who,  on  account  of  the  crowd,  stood  up  just  before  the  pul- 
pit, looking  up  at  the  speaker  and  drinking  in  his  words 
with  such  avidity  that  a  discourse  of  two  hours  seemed 
to  him  to  have  lasted  only  a  few  minutes.  This  was  a 
student  of  Transylvania  University,  who  was  a  Baptist 
and  preparing  himself  for  the  ministry.  He  had  read 
several  numbers  of  the  '*  Christian  Baptist,"  and  was 
a  good  deal  prejudiced  against  Mr.  Campbell  on  ac- 
count of  what  he  had  said  against  the  clergy  and  other 
matters;  but  the  discourse  to  which  he  then  listened, 
which  was  in  reference  to  Christ  as  the  Rock  (Matt, 
xvi.),  so  enlarged  his  vision  with  respect  to  Christianity 
that  all  his  prejudices  were  swept  away  as  by  a  torrent, 
and  he  became  quite  captivated  with  the  principles  of 
the  Reformation.  This  youth  was  James  Challen,  who 
subsequently,  by  his  faithful  and  valuable  labors,  ren- 
dered most  efficient  aid  to  the  cause. 

Mr.  Campbell  having  an  appointment  at  Versailles 
and  one  also  two  miles  in  the  country,  Mr.  Challen 
attended  on  the  latter  occasion.  A  pretty  large  audi- 
ence was  present,  and  Jeremiah  Vardeman  was  with 
Mr.  Campbell  in  the  pulpit.  The  text  was,  "  Now  the 
end  of  the  commandment  is  charity,"  etc.  i  Tim.  i.  5. 
Entering  at  once  into  the  very  of  heart  of  his  subject, 
as  was  his  wont,  Mr.  Campbell  presented  such  a  mag- 
nificent view  of  the  simplicity  and  glorious  purposes  of 
the  Christian  institution  as  perfectly  entranced  his 
auditors.     At  the  close,  Elder  Vardeman  dismissed  the 


120        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL, 

people,  remarking,  **  We  have  heard  strange  things  to- 
day. My  advice  to  you  is,  Search  the  Scriptures  and 
see  if  these  things  be  so." 

On  the  way  to  dine  with  a  gentleman  living  in  the 
vicinity,  Mr.  Challen  was  riding  in  company  with  El- 
ders Vardeman  and  Creath,  conversing  about  the 
strange  light  that  had  risen  among  them,  when  Mr. 
Campbell,  on  a  fleet  horse,  overtook  and  passed  them. 
Elder  Vardeman  then  remarked :  **  I  once  thought  I 
could  preach,  but  since  I  have  heard  this  man  I  do  not 
seem,  in  my  own  estimation,  to  be  any  larger  than  my 
litde  finger."  As  he  said  this  he  held  up  his  hand,  and 
the  comparison  drawn  from  the  contrast  between  the 
enormous  bulk  of  the  gigantic  elder  and  his  little  finger, 
was  at  the  time  and  ever  afterward,  when  referred  to,  a 
source  of  great  amusement  to  his  companions. 

Upon  reaching  Louisville  in  November,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell called  at  the  residence  of  P.  S.  Fall,  with  whom 
he  had  had  some  correspondence,  but  no  previous  per- 
sonal acquaintance. 

*' After  a  slight  repast,"  says  Mr.  Fall,  "he  attended  our 
regular  Friday  night  meeting.  The  services  were  opened  by 
me,  by  singing  the  hymn,  *  The  law  by  Moses  came,'  etc., 
and  prayer.  Brother  Campbell,  a  total  stranger,  was  then 
asked  to  address  the  audience.  My  school-room  was  well 
filled,  and  five  Presbyterian  ministers,  Dr.  Gideon  Blackburn, 
his  two  sons  and  two  sons-in-law,  were  present.  Brother 
Campbell  read  a  portion  of  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews  and 
spoke  nearly  two  hours,  every  person  present  giving  him  the 
utmost  attention.  His  method  of  reading  the  Scriptures,  of 
investigating  their  truths  and  of  exhibiting  their  statements, 
was  so  entirely  new  and  so  perfectly  clear  as  to  command 
the  respect  if  not  the  approval  of  all  that  listened.  Dr. 
Blackburn  was  asked  to  offer  prayer  at  the  close,  which  he 
did.    On  our  return  to  the  house,  Brother  Campf)ell  remarked : 


PROPER   USE   OF  SCRIPTURE.  121 

^  Dr.  Blackburn  does  not  understand  the  Christian  religion.' 
He  was  asked  how  he  knew.  *  Oh/  said  he,  *  his  praying 
clear  1}'  declares  that.' 

"  On  Lord's  day  morning  he  addressed  a  large  congrega- 
tion in  the  old  court-house,  on  the  subject  of  spiritual  gifts. 
This  discourse  was  listened  to  with  the  same  admiration  as 
the  other  by  all  who  had  the  power  to  discriminate  between 
proving  doctrines  already  assumed  and  sitting  at  the  feet  of 
our  Lord  and  his  ambassadors  to  hear  their  words. 

**  At  night,  agreeably  to  the  invitation  of  Dr.  Blackburn, 
he  addressed,  in  the  Presbyterian  church  on  Fourth  street,  a 
large  and  attentive  audience  upon  the  evidences  of  the  Mes- 
siah ship.  He  had  contracted  a  bad  cold  and  sore  throat  in 
his  rambles  about  the  city  on  Saturday,  and  spoke  with  much 
difficulty,  but  he  enchained  the  attention  of  the  audience 
by  his  masterly  exhibition  of  the  claims  of  our  Lord  to  the 
homage  of  mankind.  These  discourses,  all  that  were  deliv- 
ered at  that  time,  opened  up  to  the  thoughtful  a  new  field  of 
exploration,  and  developed  a  method  of  studying  the  Scrip- 
tures so- thoroughly  superior  to  the  textuary  system  that  it 
commended  the  truth  to  every  man's  conscience  in  the  sight 
of  God.  It  was  seen  at  once  that  it  was  the  duty  of  the 
speaker  and  the  privilege  of  the  hearer  to  ascertain  simply 
what  the  divine  Word  says^  and  why  it  is  said.  We  had 
been  accustomed  to  make  the  Scriptures  a  book  of  text-proofs 
of  our  doctrines.  We  now  saw  that  we  had  everything  to 
learn,  but  nothing  to  prove  in  using  God's  word.  On  the 
former  plan  we  knew  as  much  when  we  came  to  the  Bible 
as  when  we  left  it.  We  might  have  been  more  fully  con- 
firmed in  what  we  had  accepted  as  scientific  religious  truth, 
but  this  was  all.  For  the  connection  in  which  every  proof- 
text  stood  we  had  not  much  use,  and  thus  a  great  portion  of 
God's  word  was  not  only  neutralized,  but  rendered  absolutely 
worthless.  Upon  the  new  plan  we  had  use  for  every  word 
the  Holy  Spirit  had  spoken.  We  supposed  ourselves  to 
know  nothing  when  we  approached  the  sacred  books,  and 
were  to  be  mere  listeners  and  thereby  learners.     We  had  no 

11 


122        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

proof-texts  before  us,  impl^'ing  a  preoccupied  mind,  but  ac- 
cepted simply  the  statements  of  divine  truth  in  the  connection 
in  which  the  Holy  Spirit  had  placed  the  words  and  sentences 
he  had  uttered.  We  now  became  followers  of  our  Lord  and 
of  his  apostles,  of  the  churches  of  God,  and  of  those  who 
through  faith  had  inherited  the  promises,  i  Thess.  i.  6 ;  ii. 
14;  Heb.  vi.  12." 

After  this  visit,  Mr.  Fall  continued  to  advocate  earn- 
estly the  Reformation.  Visiting  soon  after,  by  request, 
the  Enon  Baptist  Church  in  Cincinnati,  he  there  deliv- 
ered several  discourses  upon  the  themes  then  under  dis- 
cussion, which  excited  great  interest  not  only  among 
the  Baptists  there,  but  with  other  parties,  and  led  to 
various  interesting  private  discussions  with  their  minis- 
ters. During  this  visit,  Mr.  Fall  was  invited  to  dine 
with  Jacob  Burnet,  Esq.,  the  mayor  of  the  city,  and 
witnessed  the  baptism  of  his  son  David  S.  Burnet,  who 
soon  after,  entering  the  ministry  at  the  age  of  sixteen, 
became  known  as  the  *' boy-preacher."  He  was  quite 
low  in  stature,  but  erect  in  carriage.  His  head  was 
large  and  finely  formed ;  his  eyes  prominent,  full  and 
sparkling,  his  features  regular  with  a  mouth  somewhat 
large,  but  firmly  set,  while  in  his  bearing  he  was  re- 
markably self-possessed,  dignified  and  courteous.  Giv- 
ing himself  wholly  to  the  cause  of  the  Reformation, 
after  a  few  years  he  became  one  of  its  most  distin- 
guished and  successful  advocates,  delighting  large 
audiences  by  his  elegant  and  copious  diction,  and  his 
able  presentations  of  the  principles  of  the  gospel,  which 
he  widely  disseminated,  not  only  in  Cincinnati,  but 
through  many  of  the  States,  from  Maryland  and  Vir- 
ginia to  Kansas. 

About  three  weeks  after  his  return  from  his  Kentucky 
tour,  Mr.  Campbell  was  presented  (Dec.  16,  1824)  with 


WORK  OF  THE  HOLT  SPIRIT.  123 

another  daughter,  who  was  named  Margaretta,  being 
the  eighth  child  in  less  than  thirteen  years.  During  the 
ensuing  year  (1825)  he  devoted  himself  with  renewed 
earnestness  to  the  *' Christian  Baptist,"  the  circulation 
of  which  was  rapidly  extending.  Among  the  promi- 
nent subjects  then  under  discussion  may  be  mentioned 
*'  The  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  salvation  of  men." 
This  theme  Mr.  Campbell  had  already  introduced  during 
the  preceding  year,  and  continued  now  to  treat  in  a 
manner  altogether  novel.  Utterly  disregarding  all  theo- 
logical theories  and  all  speculations  in  reference  to  the 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  confined  his  inquiries  to  the 
office  which  the  Spirit  of  God  occupies  in  the  salvation 
revealed  in  the  New  Testament.  Without  calling  in 
question  directly  any  of  the  popular  notions  of  the 
operations  of  the  Spirit,  he  presented  alone  the  simple 
teaching  of  the  Scriptures,  showing  occasionally  where 
these  had  been  perverted  and  misapplied  in  order  to 
sustain  modern  errors.  Dealing  alone  with  facts  and 
express  Scripture  statements,  he  traced  the  work  of  the 
Spirit  in  revealing  all  that  was  known  of  God,  and  in 
attesting  and  confirming,  by  prophecy,  by  miracle  and 
by  supernatural  gifts,  the  mission  of  Christ  and  of  the 
apostles,  thus  providing  the  infallible  testimony  by  which 
alone  faith  can  be  produced.  Stating  that  these  mani- 
festations of  Divine  wisdom  and  power  were  confined. to 
the  apostolic  age,  and  to  a  portion  of  the  saints  then 
living,  he  shows,  further,  that  *'the  influences  of  the 
Spirit  as  the  Spirit  of  all  goodness  were  felt  and 
realized  by  all  the  primitive  saints,  and  are  now  felt  by 
all  true  believers."  He  was  ever  cautious  and  reticent 
as  to  his  views  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit 
accomplished  his  work.  He  rejoiced  in  the  promise 
that  God  would  "  give  his  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 


124        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL, 

him ;"  he  believed  in  the  reality  of  this  gift  as  the  true 
seal  of  the  covenant  and  the  source  of  the  fruits  that 
adorn  the  Christian  life,  but  he  forbore  to  offer  any 
opinion  or  to  propound  any  theory  as  to  the  manner  in 
which  the  Holy  Spirit  exerted  its  power,  except  so  far  as 
this  could  be  seen  in  the  moral  fitness  or  adaptation  of 
the  truth  itself  revealed  by  the  Spirit,  when  this  was 
presented  to  men  and  sincerely  believed.  What  special 
or  added  influences  might  be  exerted  he  presumed  not 
to  say,  though  he  clearly  admitted  the  existence  of  such 
influences. 

*'  I  am  not  to  be  understood,"  said  he,  speaking  of  con- 
verting influences  (C.  B.  for  April,  1825),  ''as  asserting  that 
there  is  no  divine  influence  exercised  over  the  minds  and 
bodies  of  men.  This  would  be  to  assert  in  contradiction  to  a 
thousand  facts  and  declarations  in  the  volume  of  revelation  ; 
this  would  be  to  destroy  the  idea  of  any  divine  revelation  ; 
this  would  be  to  destroy  the  idea  of  any  divine  government 
exercised  over  the  human  race ;  this  would  be  to  make  prayer 
a  useless  and  irrational  exercise ;  this  would  be  to  deprive 
Christians  of  all  the  consolations  derived  from  a  sense  of  the 
superintending  care,  guidance  and  protection  of  the  Most 
High.  But  to  resolve  everything  into  a  '  divine  influence '  is 
the  other  extreme.  This  divests  man  of  eveiy  attribute  that 
renders  him  accountable  to  his  Maker,  and  assimilates  all  his 
actions  to  the  bending  of  the  trees  or  the  tumults  of  the  ocean 
occasioned  by  the  tempest. 

"  There  are  many  things  which  are  evident,  yet  altogether 
inexplicable.  .  .  .  Until  we  know  more  of  God  than  can  be 
revealed  or  known  in  this  mortal  state,  we  must  be  content  to 
say  of  a  thousand  things,  a  thousand  times,  we  cannot  under- 
stand how^  or  why^  or  wherefore  they  are  so.  But  he  would 
be  a  foolish  husbandman  who,  going  forth  with  precious  seed 
to  cast  upon  his  field,  would  cease  to  scatter  it  because  a 
philosopher  had  asked  him  some  questions  about  its  germina- 
tion and  the  influences  requisite  to  its  vegetation  which  he 


ANCIENT  ORDER  OF  THINGS,  1 25 

could  not  explain.  As  foolish  would  a  hungry  man  be  who 
would  refuse  to  eat  bread  because  he  could  not  explain  the 
process  of  digestion,  nor  tell  how  it  conduces  to  the  preserva- 
tion of  life.  And  just  as  foolish  he  who  refuses  to  meditate 
upon  the  revelation  of  God,  and  to  practice  its  injunctions, 
because  there  are  some  whys  or  wherefores  for  which  he 
cannot  give  a  reason." 

He  thus  sought  to  confine  the  attention  to  that  which 
was  immediately  necessary  to  faith,  and  to  avoid  unprofit- 
able discussions  respecting  remote  or  accessor}'^  causes. 

During  this  year  Mr.  Campbell  began  to  publish  a 
series  of  articles  entitled  ** A  Restoration  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  Things,''  in  which  he  urged,  first,  the  abandon- 
ment of  everything  not  in  use  among  the  early  Chris- 
tians, as  creeds  and  confessions,  unscriptural  words  and 
phrases,  theological  theories,  etc. ;  and  second,  the 
adoption  of  everything  sanctioned  by  primitive  practice, 
as  the  weekly  breaking  of  the  loaf,  the  fellowship,  the 
simple  order  of  public  worship  and  the  independence 
of  each  church  under  the  care  of  its  bishops  and 
deacons.  This  **  ancient  order  "  had,  as  yet,  been  intro- 
duced only  into  the  churches  at  Brush  Run,  Wellsburg 
and  Pittsburg,  though  the  church  at  Louisville,  over 
which  Mr.  Fall  presided,  was  induced  this  year  to  re- 
place its  covenant  and  confession  of  faith  by  the  New 
Testament  as  the  only  and  all-sufl[icient  law  of  life,  and 
to  break  the  loaf  .and  attend  to  the  contribution  for  the 
poor  at  every  Lord's  day  meeting.  As  most  of  the 
active  members  of  the  church  at  Pittsburg  were  from 
Scotland  and  Ireland,  and  sympathized  largely  with 
the  views  of  church  order  adopted  by  some  of  the 
Haldaneans,  the  practice  of  mutual  exhortation  and 
teaching  on  the  Lord's  day  was  here  fully  carried 
out,  with  much  the  same  eflfect  as  occurred  in  Scot- 

11* 


126        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

land  upon  its  first  introduction  by  William  Ballantine. 
Debates  and  dissensions  arose  frequently  between 
members,  while  that  watchful  surveillance,  amounting 
almost  to  inquisitorial  scrutiny,  which  each  thought  it 
his  duty  to  exercise  over  others  occasioned  numerous 
cases  of  discipline,  by  which  the  public  religious  meet- 
ings were  disturbed  and  the  cause  discredited.  These 
things  were  warmly  disapproved  by  Mr.  Campbell  and 
Walter  Scott,  who,  although  they  fully  admitted  the 
perfect  equality  of  all  members,  and  their  liberty  to 
speak  in  the  church  at  proper  times  and  under  proper 
regulations,  insisted  that  a  proper  direction  should  be 
given  to  the  gifts  of  all,  and  that  none  should  teach 
publicly  except  those  capable  of  edifying  the  church. 

The  new-born  spirit  of  liberty,  however,  was  for  a 
while  not  to  be  repressed ;  the  less  competent  proved 
often  the  most  forward,  and,  converting  a  mere  privilege 
into  a  duty,  felt  it  incumbent  on  them  to  occupy  much 
of  the  time  allotted  to  the  Lord's  day  meeting,  to  little 
profit.  About  this  period  Mr.  Scott  was  one  day  ac- 
companying Mr.  Campbell  on  his  way  from  Pittsburg 
home,  and  they  attended  together  the  meeting  of  the 
church  at  the  Cross  Roads,  in  which  the  order  of  the 
Pittsburg  Church  had  been  to  a  considerable  extent 
adopted.  A  number  of  the  members  having  read  vari- 
ous Scriptures  and  spoken  at  length,  Mr.  Scott  was 
finally  called  on  to  say  something.  With  this  invitation 
he  at  once  complied,  by  boldly  taking  the  ground  that  it 
was  unscriptural  to  have  so  many  teachers,  that  the 
liberty  conceded  was  carried  to  license,  and  that  each 
member  should  be  confined,  according  to  the  Scripture 
analogy  of  the  human  body,  to  the  particular  function 
for  which  he  was  best  fitted.  At  the  close  of  his  re- 
marks he  inquired  with  emphasis,  in  the  broad  Scotch 


SUPPORT  OF  ELDERS.  127 

he  sometimes  used,  *'  What,  my  brethren  !  is  the  Church 
to  be  a' mouth?"  "But,**  said  James  Foster  to  him 
after  meeting,  *'  what  will  you  do  with  the  apostle's  de- 
claration to  the  Church,  i  Cor.  xiv.  31 :  '  Ye  may  all  pro- 
phesy, one  by  one,  that  all  may  learn  and  all  may.be 
comforted?'  The  answer  given  to  this  inquiry  was  not 
fully  satisfactory  to  James  Foster,  who  earnestly  desired 
that  everything  should  be  conducted  strictly  according 
to  Scripture  precedent,  and  who  leaned  considerably  to 
the  views  of  the  Scottish  Independents. 

Mr.  Campbell,  however,  fully  concurred  in  the  just- 
ness of  Mr.  Scott's  admonitions  on  this  occasion,  being 
exceedingly  desirous  that  everything  should  be  con- 
ducted according  to  the  ultimate  or  higher  law  given  by 
the  apostle:  '*  Let  all  things  be  done  to  edification." 
He  entirely  approved  of  mutual  exhortation  and  instruc- 
tion, but  thought  it  best  that  a  general  permission  to 
speak  should  be  confined  to  private  or  social  meetings 
of  the  church,  and  that  at  the  Lord's  day  meetings, 
when  the  public  were  expected  to  attend,  only  those 
should  be  set  forward  who  were  best  able,  from  their 
knowledge  of  the  Bible  and  their  natural  gifts,  to  speak 
acceptably  and  profitably  to  the  assembly.  To  dis- 
charge this  duty  properly  required,  he  thought,  careful 
previous  study  and  preparation.  In  overthrowing  cleri- 
cal power,  he  sought  to  check  the  tendency  to  an  ex- 
treme in  the  direction  of  individual  independency.  He 
endeavored,  therefore,  to  secure  to  the  elders  or  bishops 
of  the  church  not  only  their  proper  position  and 
authority,  but  also  the  pecuniary  support  enjoined  in 
Scripture.  This,  accordingly,  he  took  care**  again  to 
urge  in  his  "  Essays  on  the  Ancient  Order  of  Things." 

"The  bishop  of  a  Christian  congregation,"  said  he,  '*will 
find  much  to  do  that  never  enters  into  the  mind  of  a  modern 


1 


ia8         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

preacher  or  minister.  The  duties  he  is  to  discharge  to  Christ's 
flock  in  the  capacity  of  teacher  and  president  will  engross 
much  of  his  time  and  attention.  Therefore,  the  idea  of  re- 
muneration for  his  services  was  attached  to  the  office  from 
the  first  institution.  This  is  indisputably  plain,  not  only  from 
the  positive  commands  delivered  to  the  congregations,  but 
from  the  hints  uttered  with  reference  to  the  office  itself.  Why 
should  it  be  so  much  as  hinted  that  the  bishops  were  not  to 
take  the  oversight  of  the  flock  ''for  the  sake  of  sordid  gain^ 
if  no  emolument  or  remuneration  was  attached  to  the  office  ? 
The  abuses  of  the  principle  have  led  many  to  oppose  even 
the  principle  itself."  (*'  Christian  Baptist,"  vol.  iii.,  No.  9,  p. 
360.) 

In  the  case  of  the  church  at  Pittsburg,  however,  it 
was  some  time  before  this  portion  of  the  **  ancient  order 
of  things'*  was  practically  recognized,  and  before  the 
disorders  incident  to  the  transition  state  were  fully  cor- 
rected. During  this  year  (1825)  Sidney  Rigdon  re- 
turned to  Ohio,  and  the  church  there  continued  under 
the  care  of  Walter  Scott,  who  was  still  engaged  in 
school-teaching,  and  had  some  time  before  been  united 
in  marriage  to  a  highly-esteemed  member  of  the  church, 
a  Miss  Whitsett,  who  had  formerly  been  a  Covenanter. 
In  1826,  however,  he  removed  to  Steubenville,  Ohio, 
•where  he  opened  a  school  and  lectured  to  the  small 
Baptist  church  there.  After  his  departure  from  Pitts- 
burg, the  contentions  in  the  church  increased,  and  un- 
ruly and  vain  talkers,  as  in  the  primitive  ages,  occa- 
sioned discord  and  strife.  Repudiating  the  clergy  and 
the  pope,  each  member  became  not  only  his  own  pope, 
but  disposed  to  assume  this  office  in  regard  to  others ; 
and  it  was  not  until  after  many  dissensions,  which  greatly 
hindered  the  spread  of  the  truth  in  this  region,  that 
Samuel  Church,  leaving  the  Independent  congrega- 
tion under  Mr.  Tassey,  united  with  the  disciples   at 


D/SCUSSIOJ^S   OF  PRIMITIVE  ORDER.  129 

Pittsburg,  and  succeeded  finally  in  reducing  them  to 
order. 

Another  custom,  zealously  adopted  by  the  church  in 
Pittsburg,  which  also  extended  to  other  churches,  was 
the  use  of  the  '*  holy  kiss"  as  the  proper  Christian  saluta- 
tion. To  this  Mr.  Campbell  was  opposed,  alleging  that 
the  Scripture  injunction,  ''Salute  one  another  with  a  holy 
kiss,"  merely  indicated  the  feelings  and  motives  which 
were  to  govern  the  use  of  the  mode  of  salutation  then  com- 
mon in  the  East,  and  which  were  equally  applicable  to 
whatever  kind  of  salutation  obtained  in  other  countries, 
in  which  he  thought  Christianity  designed  to  make  no 
change.  The  practice,  accordingly,  was  after  some 
time  abandoned.  The  washing  of  feet  was  also  a  cus- 
tom observed  by  the  Pittsburg  Church,  not,  however,  as 
a  church  ordinance,  but  privately,  as  an  act  of  brotherly 
aflfection,  humility  and  hospitality.  In  this  Mr.  Camp- 
bell agreed,  although  he  did  not  think  that  proper  occa- 
sions for  such  a  duty  could  often  arise  in  Europe  or 
America,  as  they  did  in  regions  where  men  wore  sandals, 
and  where  washing  of  the  feet  was  a  common  and  daily 
observance. 

The  introduction  of  the  primitive  order  of  Christian 
worship,  and  especially  of  the  weekly  observance  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  engaged  at  this  time  much  attention 
among  those  Baptist  churches  which  had  adopted  the 
principles  of  the  Reformation.  Several  of  them  in 
Ohio  and  the  western  part  of  Pennsylvania,  rejecting 
the  Philadelphia  Confession,  decided  to  take  the  Bible 
as  the  only  standard  of  faith  and  practice.  A  meeting 
was  held  also  at  Warren,  Ohio,  at  the  close  of  May, 
composed  of  preachers  and  brethren  from  different  parts 
of  the  country,  in  order  to  discuss  the  "  ancient  order 
of  things."     Mr.  Campbell  attended  this  meeting,  and 

VOL.  II. — I 


130        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

was  gratified  to  find  that  so  much  zeal,  candor  and 
harmony  obtained  throughout  the  investigation,  and 
that  most  of  those  present  were  very  desirous  of  seeing 
the  primitive  order  fully  restored. 

In  his  essays  on  this  subject,  Mr.  Campbell  had  con- 
fined himself  entirely  to  the  interior  aflfairs  of  the  Church, 
and  had  not  dwelt  upon  the  instrumentalities  to  be  em- 
ployed in  sending  the  gospel  abroad.  He  seemed, 
indeed,  for  a  short  time  to  have  favored  the  views  of 
those  who  thought  the  mere  internal  order  of  the  Church 
itself  suflicient  for  the  conversion  of  the  world,  but  he 
soon  became  sensible  of  the  correctness  of  his  former 
view,  that  the  practice  of  committing  this  work  to  evan- 
gelists or  special  messengers  of  the  Church  was  essential 
to  success.  When  questioned,  soon  after,  by  one  of  his 
correspondents  on  this  subject,  he  said : 

" '  That  the  work  of  an  evangelist  or  a  preacher  is  re- 
quisite, not  to  the  order  of  a  Christian  Church,  but  to  the 
present  state  of  the  new  dispensation,'  is  a  position  on  which  I 
will  not  contend  with  you.  The  Holy  Spirit  saith,  ^  Z^et  hirn 
that  hcareth  say^  Come^  and  why  should  I  say  to  him  that 
heareth, '  Do  not  say^  Come;  hold  your  tongue.'  No  :  forbid 
it.  Heaven  !  '  Let  him  that  heareth  say^  Come^  is  a  license 
which  the  Holy  One  gave  when  he  was  closing  the  canon, 
sealing  up  the  law  and  the  testimony.  And,  thanks  be  to  his 
name,  he  lefl  no  tribunal  on  earth  to  contravene  this  decision. 
While  then  there  are  any  who  have  not  come  to  the  fountain 
of  life,  and  when  any  one  who  has  heard  and  come  and  tasted 
and  findeth  such  an  opportunity  to  say,  Come,  let  him  say  it  in 
word  and  deed."  C.  B.,  vol.  iv.,  p.  37. 

In  the  summer,  he  made  a  short  visit  to  Eastern  Vir- 
ginia, where  he  was  kindly  received,  and  where  he 
formed  an  acquaintance  with  Robert  B.  Semple,  Andrew 
Broaddus  and  other  eminent  Baptist  ministers.    The  few 


SEVERITY  CEl^SURED.  131 

discourses  he  delivered  during  his  visit  made  quite  a 
strong  impression.  The  leaders  of  the  Baptists  in 
Eastern  Virginia,  however,  though  struck  with  Mr. 
Campbell V  great  abilities,  were  by  no  means  prepared 
to  receive  his  reformatory  views.  They  earnestly  de- 
sired, on  the  other  hand,  to  win  him  over  to  their  own 
sentiments  and  usages,  in  order  that  his  influence  might 
enure  to  the  benefit  of  the  Baptist  cause. 

After  his  return  home,  he  received  a  kind  letter  from 
Bishop  Semple,  objecting  to  the  spirit  in  which  the 
**  Christian  Baptist"  seemed  to  be  conducted,  and  to  some 
of  the  sentiments  attributed  to  Mr.  Campbell,  intimat- 
ing that  he  seemed  to  be  a  Sandemanian  or  a  Halda- 
nean  both  in  his  views  and  spirit. 

"Among  the  Haldaneans,"  said  he  "  (judging  from  writ- 
ings), a  gentle  spirit  is  rarely  to  be  found.  Harsh  and  bitter 
sarcasms  are  the  weapons  with  which  they  fight  their  oppo- 
nents. This,  too,  I  am  the  more  disposed  to  think  applies  to 
them  as  a  sect,  because  I  have  known  some  of  their  party, 
who  have  appeared  in  private  conversation  to  be  mild  and 
gentle  indeed  and  every  way  pleasant,  but  when  brought  out 
in  writing  or  public  speaking,  seemed  to  have  another  kind 
of  temper.  If  you  will  bear  with  me,  it  seems  to  me  that 
this  is  the  case  with  the  editor  of  the  '  Christian  Baptist.' 
As  a  man,  in  private  circles,  mild,  pleasant  and  affectionate — 
as  a  writer,  rigid  and  satirical  beyond  all  the  bounds  of 
Scripture  allowance." 

Bishop  Semple  was  a  most  estimable  man,  and  stood 
deservedly  high  in  influence  and  reputation.  Being  of 
a  very  mild  and  amiable  temperament,  Mr.  Campbell's 
strictures  seemed  to  him  quite  too  severe.  In  reply,  the 
latter  reminded  him  that  while  the  general  spirit  of  the 
New  Testament  was  mild,  its  denunciations  of  those  who 
corrupted  the  gospel  were  severe,  and  that  Christians 


l$2         MEMOIRS   OF"  ALEXAXDER   CAXfPBELl., 

were  even  enjoined  in  certain  cases  to  rebuke  with 
sharpness.  He  also  remarked  that  the  class  of  subjects 
discussed  in  the  **  Christian  Baptist"  necessarily  gave 
a  general  character  to  the  work,  whose  limited  size 
prevented  him  from  introducing,  as  fully  as  he  desired, 
such  other  topics  as  might  exhibit  the  Christian  spirit  to 
a  better  advantage.  Utterly  denying  that  he  was  a 
follower  of  Sandeman  or  any  other  human  leader,  and 
expressing  the  opinion  that  there  **  lived  not  upon  the 
earth  a  more  pious,  godly,  primitive  Christian  than 
James  Haldane,  of  Edinburgh,  and  few,  if  any,  more 
intelligent  in  the  Christian  Scriptures,''  he  thus  spoke 
of  the  charge  of  want  of  forbearance  alleged  by  the 
Bishop  against  the  Haldaneans : 

**  You  say, '  those  people  have  many  excellent  things  among 
them — ^things  you  would  gladly  see  among  us.'  So  say  I. 
You  think  *the>'  are  very  defective  in  forbearance.'  This 
may  be  still  true,  for  anything  I  know ;  but  one  thing  I  do 
know,  that  several  congregations  in  this  connection  are  far 
more  '  forbearing'  than  the  Baptists  of  Virginia  ;  for  several 
of  them  receive  unbaptized  persons  to  the  Lord's  table  on 
the  ground  of  forbearance.  The  congregation  in  Edinburgh 
in  connection  with  James  Haldane,  and  that  in  Tuberniore 
in  connection  with  Alexander  Carson,  two  of  the  most  promi- 
nent congregations  in  the  connection,  do  actually  dispense 
with  baptism  on  the  ground  of  ^forhearanceJ  I  believe 
there  are  some  others  who  carry  "^ forbearance^  thus  far. 
These  people  have  been  much  slandered  at  home  and  abroad 
by  an  interested  priesthood,  and  I  do  know  that  many  things 
reported  of  them  are  false.  They  say  that  when  a  Paedobaj>- 
tist  gives  evidence  that  he  is  a  Christian,  and  cannot  be  con- 
vinced that  infant  baptism  is  a  human  tradition,  he  ought  to 
be  received  into  a  Christian  congregation  as  a  brother,  if  he 
desires  it,  irrespective  of  this  weakness.  They  were  once 
more  tenacious  of  their  peculiar  views  than  at  present. 


FORBEARANCE,  133 

"  But  on  the  subject  of  forbearance,  I  have  to  remark  that 
there  is  not  a  greater  misapplication  of  a  word  in  our  lan- 
guage than  of  this  one.  In  strict  propriety,  it  does  not  apply 
at  all  to  the  subject  in  relation  to  which  it  is  commonly  used. 
No  man  can  be  said  to  forbear  with  another  except  in  such 
cases  as  he  has  done  him  an  injury.  Now  when  Christians 
differ  in  opinion  on  any  subject,  unless  it  can  be  made  to  ap- 
pear that  the  opinion  of  B  is  injurious  to  A,  the  latter  can- 
not forbear  with  the  former.  There  is  no  room  or  occasion 
for  forbearance,  for  A  is  not  injured  by  the  opinion  of  B. 
To  say  that  Christians  must  exercise  forbearance  with  one 
another  because  of  difference  of  opinion,  is  admitting  that 
they  have  a  right  to  consider  themselves  injured,  or  that  one 
Christian  has  a  right  to  consider  himself  injured  because  of 
another  man's  difference  in  opinion.  It  is  precisely  the  same 
mistake  which  is  committed  by  those  who  ask  the  civil  au- 
thorities to  tolerate  all  or  any  religious  opinions.  The  mere 
asking  for  toleration  recognizes  a  right  which  no  civil  au- 
thority possesses,  and  establishes  a  principle  of  calamitous 
consequences — viz.,  that  opinions  contrary  to  the  majority  or 
the  national  creed  are  a  public  injury,  which  it  is  in  the 
power  of  government  to  punish  or  tolerate  according  to  their 
intelligence  and  forbearance.  Civil  rulers  have  no  right  to 
tolerate  or  punish  men  on  account  of  their  opinions  in  matters 
of  religion.  Neither  have  Christians  a  right  to  condemn  their 
brethren  for  difference  of  opinion,  nor  even  talk  of  forbearing 
with  one  another  in  matters  of  opinion.  The  Scriptures 
speak  of  the  forbearance  of  God,  and  teach  that  Christians 
should  forbear  with  one  another  in  cases  of  injury  sustained, 
but  never,  that  I  can  see,  on  account  of  matters  of  opinion. 
A  person  might  as  well  be  said  to  forbear  with  his  natural 
brother  because  he  was  only  ten  years  old  or  five  feet  high  or 
because  he  had  gray  eyes,  as  to  forbear  with  a  Christian 
brot'.ier  because  he  differed  from  him  in  some  of  his  opinions. 
I  know  that  we  all  use  the  term  forbearance  in  a  very  un- 
warrantable sense,  and  that  it  is  difficult  to  find  a  term  ap- 
propriate to  communicate  correct  ideas  on  this  subject.     To 

12 


134        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

bear  with  or  allow  a  brother  to  exercise  his  own  judgment  is 
no  doubt  all  that  you  can  intend  by  the  term,  and  this  is  cer- 
tainly inculcated  in  the  apostolic  writings.  And  I  am  willing 
to  carry  this  principle  to  its  greatest  possible  extent,  though, 
as  you  say,  '  there  is  and  must  be  a  stopping-place/  So  long 
as  any  man,  woman  or  child  declares  his  confidence  in  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  as  God*s  own  Son,  that  he  was  delivered  for  our 
offences  and  raised  again  for  our  justification — or,  in  other 
words,  that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah,  the  Saviour  of  men — and  so 
long  as  he  exhibits  a  willingness  to  obey  him  in  all  things  so 
far  as  his  knowledge  extends,  so  long  will  I  receive  him  as  a 
Christian  brother  and  treat  him  as  such." 

The  novel  position  which  Mr.  Campbell  now  occu- 
pied in  relation  to  the  religious  community,  and  es- 
pecially to  the  Baptists,  exposed  him  to  criticisms  and 
attacks  from  all  quarters.  Charges  of  Socinianism  and 
heterodoxy  were  diligently  circulated  among  the  Bap- 
tist churches  in  different  places,  in  order  to  deprive  him 
of  influence  and  create  a  feeling  of  hostility.  These, 
when  brought  to  his  notice,  Mr.  Campbell  promptly  re- 
pelled, and  candidly  and  manfully  avowed  his  real  sen- 
timents. In  regard  to  the  Baptists,  indeed,  he  had 
always  exercised  the  greatest  frankness,  concealing 
neither  his  views  nor  his  purposes  While  he  desired 
to  lead  them  on  to  clearer  views  of  the  gospel,  and  was 
cheered  by  many  tokens  of  success,  he  was  j^et  well 
aware  that  his  position  among  them  was  precarious, 
and  that  there  remained  yet  much  to  do  in  order  to 
overcome  existing  denominational  prejudices.  Of  his 
wishes  and  designs  in  relation  to  the  Baptists  he  thus 
openly  speaks  to  a  correspondent  from  Missouri : 

''  I  do  intend  to  continue  in  connection  with  this  people  so 
long  as  they  will  permit  me  to  say  what  I  believe ;  to  teach 
what  I  am  assured  of,  and  to  censure  what  is  amiss  in  their 
views  or  practices.     I  have  no  idea  of  adding  to  the  catalog^ie 


REGARD  FOR   THE  BAPTISTS.  135 

of  new  sects.  ...  I  labor  to  see  sectarianism  abolished  and 
all  Christians  of  every  name  united  upon  the  one  foundation 
upon  which  the  apostolic  Church  was  founded.  To  bring 
Baptists  and  Paedobaptists  to  this  is  my  supreme  end.  But 
to  connect  myself  with  any  people  who  would  require  me  to 
sacrifice  one  item  of  revealed  truth,  to  subscribe  any  creed  of 
human  device,  or  to  restrain  me  from  publishing  my  senti- 
ments as  discretion  and  conscience  direct,  is  now,  and  I  hope 
ever  will  be,  the  farthest  from  my  desires  and  the  most  in- 
compatible with  my  views.  And  I  hope  I  will  not  be  ac- 
cused of  sectarian  partiality  when  I  avow  my  conviction  that 
the  Baptist  society  have  as  much  liberality  in  their  views,  as 
much  of  the  ancient  simplicity  of  the  Christian  Church,  as 
much  of  the  spirit  of  Christianity  about  them,  as  are  to  be 
found  among  any  other  people.  To  say  nothing  of  the  things 
in  which  they  excel,  this  may  be  said  of  them  without  preju- 
dice to  any.  And  that  they  have  always  been  as  eminent 
friends  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  as  any  sect  in  Christen- 
dom will  not,  I  presume,  be  denied  by  any.  But  that  there 
are  among  them  some  mighty  Regulars  who  are  as  intoler- 
ant as  the  great  pontift'  of  good  order  and  regularity,,  no 
person  will  deny.  But  that  there  is  in  the  views  and  prac- 
tices of  this  large  and  widely-extended  community  a  great 
need  of  reformation  and  of  a  restoration  of  the  ancient  order 
of  things^  few  will  contradict.  In  one  thing  they  may  appear, 
in  time  to  come,  proudly  singular  and  pre-eminentl}'  distin- 
guished. Mark  it  well.  Their  historian,  in  the  year  1900, 
may  say,  '  We  are  the  only  people  who  would  tolerate,  or 
who  ever  did  tolerate^  any  person  to  continue  as  a  reformer 
or  restorer  among  us.  While  other  sects  excluded  all  who 
would  have  enlarged  their  views  and  exalted  their  virtues, 
while  every  Jerusalem  in  Christendom  stoned  its  own  pro- 
phets, and  exiled  its  own  best  friends  and  compelled  them  to 
set  up  for  themselves,  we  constitute  the  only  exception  of  this 
kind  in  the  annals  of  Christianity — nay,  in  the  annals  of  the 
world.*  I  think  it  not  a  very  precarious  perhaps  that  this 
may  yet  be  said  of  this  ancient  and  singular  people.     But 


136        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

should  it  come  to  pass  that  neither  they  nor  any  other  people 
could  say  that  of  themselves,  then,  most  assuredly,  if  ever 
there  be  a  united  and  a  happy  state  of  the  Church  upon  this 
earth — if  ever  there  be  a  millennium — the  Baptist  society,  as 
well  as  every  other,  will  have  to  be  immersed  in  that  general 
catastrophe  which  awaits  every  sect  which  holds  a  principle 
incompatible  with  this  millennial  state  of  the  Church."  (C.  B., 
vol.  iii.,  p.  320.) 

While  Mr.  Campbell  thus  felt  and  expressed  a  special 
regard  for  that  religious  community  which,  in  his  judg- 
ment, approached  most  nearly  to  the  apostolic  standard, 
and  desired  to  continue  in  communion  with  it,  he 
constantly  maintained  his  own  independent  position. 
When  ace  d  of  inconsistency  as  a  restorer  of  primi- 
tive Christianity  in  having  communion  with  the  Baptists, 
who  had  not  adopted  the  ancient  order  of  things,  he 
thus  plainly  expressed  his  views  of  what  is  called  "  full 
communion :" 

"  When  I  unite  in  prayer  with  a  society  of  disciples,  I  have 
full  communion  with  them  in  certain  petitions,  confessions 
and  thanksgivings,  but  requests  may  be  presented,  confessions 
made  and  thanksgivings  offered  in  which  I  have  not  full  com- 
munion. The  same  may  be  said  of  any  other  social  act  of 
worship.  All  that  I  intend  by  the  phrase  is,  that  I  will  unite 
with  any  Baptist  society  in  the  United  States  in  any  act  of 
social  worship,  such  as  prayer,  praise  or  breaking  bread  in 
commemoration  of  the  Lord's  death,  if  they  confess  the  one 
Lord,  the  one  faith,  the  one  hope  and  the  one  baptism ;  pro- 
vided always  that,  as  far  as  I  can  judge,  they  piously  and 
morally  conform  to  their  profession.  ...  I  consider  every 
act  as  only  expressing  approbation  of  the  thing  represented, 
and  of  them  in  so  far  as  they  conform  to  it.  Therefore,  I 
frankly  and  boldly  declare  to  them,  as  Paul  did  to  the  Corinth- 
ians, the  things  in  which  I  praise  them,  and  the  things  in 
which  I  praise  them  not.  And  I  know  of  no  way,  of  no 
course  that  any  Christian  can  pursue  consistently  with  the 


CHRISTIAN  COMMUNION.  137 

New  Testament,  consistently  with  his  serving  God  and  his 
own  generation,  but  this  one.  Therefore,  I  advocate  it  and 
practice  it." 

Referring  to  the  more  rigid  views  to  which  he  was 
led  in  181 1  on  the  subject  of  religious  fellowship,  he 
continues : 

^'  I  have  tried  the  pharisaic  plan  and  the  monastic.  I  was 
once  so  straight  that,  like  the  Indian's  tree,  ^  I  leaned  a  little 
the  other  way.'  And  however  much  I  may  be  slandered  now 
as  seeking  '  popularity'  or  a  popular  course,  I  have  to  rejoice 
that  to  my  own  satisfaction^  as  well  as  to  others',  I  proved 
that  truth  and  not  popularity  was  my  object ;  for  I  was  once 
so  strict  a  separatist  that  I  would  neither  pray  nor  sing 
praises  with  any  one  who  was  not  as  perfect  as  I  supposed 
myself.  In  this  most  unpopular  course  I  persisted  until  I  dis- 
covered the  mistake,  and  saw  that  on  the  principle  embraced 
in  my  conduct  there  never  could  be  a  congregation  or  church 
upon  the  earth."  (C.  B.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  373.) 

Mr.  Campbell  thus  thought  there  was  great  incon- 
sistency among  professors  of  religion  in  regard  to 
the  subject  of  communioni  He  did  not  think  this  con- 
fined to  a  participation  in  the  Lord's  Supper,  but  that 
there  was  also  Christian  communion  in  uniting  in  prayer 
or  praise,  or  other  acts  of  religious  worship. 

"  There  is,"  said  he,  "  a  certain  place,  called  The  Family 
Altar,  Baptists  and  Paedobaptists  of  different  name  oflen 
meet  at  this  ^  family  altar,'  and  there  unite  all  in  one  com- 
munion. In  their  monthly  concerts  for  prayer,  etc.,  there  is 
another  '  altar,'  at  which  all  sects  sometimes  meet,  and  all 
have  full  communion  in  prayer  and  praise.  But  if,  on  the 
next  day,  the  Lord's  table  was  furnished,  they  would  rather 
be  caught  in  company  with  publicans  and  sinners  than  sit  at 
the  side  of  those  with  whom  they  had  full  communion  in 
prayer  and  praise  a  few  hours  before.  Their  consciences 
would  shudder  at  the  idea  of  breaking  bread  in  full  com- 

12* 


138        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

munion  with  those  with  whom,  yesterday  or  last  night,  they 
had  full  communion  in  adoring,  venerating,  invoking  and 
praising  the  same  God  and  Redeemer.  ...  It  must  be  con- 
fessed, too,  that  the  New  Testament  presents  baptism  as  prior 
to  social  prayer  and  praise,  as  indispensably  preceding  these 
as  the  Lord's  Supper."  .  .  . 

These  passages  afford  a  clear  insight  into  the  state  of 
Mr.  Campbell's  convictions  at  this  time  in  regard  to 
the  vexed  question  of  communion.  Remembering  the 
earnestness  and  faith  in  which  the  church  at  Brush  Run 
sought  to  know  and  to  do  the  will  of  God,  while  yet 
mistaken  in  regard  to  baptism,  his  feelings  led  him  to 
wish  to  have  communion  with  any  similar  churches, 
though  they  might  be  yet  Paedobaptist.  Nevertheless, 
he  remained  fully  satisfied  that  the  New  Testament  pre- 
sented baptism  as  *' indispensably  preceding"  social 
communion  in  religious  acts.  Thus  he  was  placed  in  a 
strait  between  his  conviction  on  the  one  hand  that  there 
were  saints  of  God  in  all  parties,  and  on  the  other  that 
obedience  to  the  ordinances  of  the  Gospel  was  necessary 
to  church  membership.  His  feelings  led  him  to  recog- 
nize all  as  Christians  who  gave  evidence  of  faith  and 
piety,  while  his  views  of  the  Gospel  restricted  him  to 
formal  communion  with  those  only  who  had  publicly 
professed  to  put  on  Christ  in  baptism.  In  practice  he 
was  governed  exclusively  by  his  conscientious  convic- 
tions, and  was  thus  often  obliged  to  do  violence  to  his 
feelings ;  nor  was  it  until  after  some  years  that  a  some- 
what diflferent  view  of  the  subject  finally  relieved  him 
from  the  practical  difiiculties  connected  with  this  com- 
munion question. 

Mr.  Campbell  was,  upon  the  whole,  during  this  year 
(1825)  greatly  encouraged  by  the  progress  of  the  views 
he  advocated. 


PROGRESS   OF  TRUTH,  139 

"  We  are  happy  to  find,"  said  he,  after  his  return  from  a 
tour  (C.  B.,  iii.,  267),  "that,  in  spite  of  the  reigning  doctors 
of  tradition,  the  people  are  gradually  awakening  to  a  sense  of 
their  religious  rights  and  privileges.  We  fiad  a  large  majority 
of  most  religious  communities  are  quite  unsettled  in  their 
views  of  religious  principles  and  practices.  They  have  lost 
the  greater  part  of  that  confidence  which  was  the  characteristic 
of  every  sect  some  quarter  of  a  century  ago.  Many  who 
thought  their  Church  almost  infallible  readily  admit  that  she 
not  only  may^  but  that  she  frequently  does^  err.  And  there  is 
a  spirit  of  inquiry  marching  forth,  before  which,  most  assuredly, 
the  rotten  systems  of  tradition  and  error  must  and  will  fall." 

These  anticipations  were  strongly  corroborated  by 
passing  events.  John  M.  Duncan,  pastor  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  in  Tammany  street,  Baltimore,  about 
this  time  published  a  book  "  On  the  Rise,  Use  and  Un- 
lav^'fulness  of  Creeds  and  Confessions  of  Faith  in  the 
Church  of  God."  He  boldly  controverted  the  doctrine 
taught  by  Dr.  Miller  of  Princeton  a  short  time  before, 
in  a  pamphlet  advocating  creeds^  and  declared  his  view 
to  be  that  "  God  alone  is  lord  of  the  conscience,  and 
that  his  Bible  is  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice ;  or, 
if  the  reader  pleases,  that  church  courts  and  human 
creeds  are  not  entitled,  in  any  shape  or  form,  to  control 
the  human  conscience."  This  able  and  conclusive  work 
of  Mr.  Duncan  created  considerable  excitement,  which 
was  in  no  wise  lessened  when  he  and  Charles  McLean, 
pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Gettysburg,  both 
declined  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  United  States,  on  the  ground  of  their  objections  to 
creeds  and  confessions  of  faith.  The  Synod  of  Balti- 
more then  declared  their  congregations  ^^ vacant ;^^  but 
these,  with  great  unanimity,  took  part  with  their  pastors, 
who  continued  to  minister  to  them  as  usual.     Not  long 


140        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

afterward,  for  similar  reasons,  the  Presbyterian  church 
on  Thirteenth  street,  Philadelphia,  renounced  the 
authority  of  creeds  and  Presbyterian  church  courts, 
and  with  their  pastor,  Mr.  Chambers,  continued  to  meet 
as  before,  receiving  numerous  accessions. 

In  several  Baptist  associations  which  Mr.  Campbell 
visited  during  the  fall  he  was  also  much  pleased  to 
observe  the  progress  of  liberal  views  and  the  good  spirit 
which  prevailed.  On  the  Western  Reserve,  all  things 
seemed  to  be  moving  on  favorably,  and  in  the  Stillwater 
Association,  which  had  been  shortly  before  formed  of 
churches  in  the  counties  of  the  same  State  contiguous  to 
the  Ohio  river,  he  found  most  of  the  messengers  disposed 
to  adopt  the  reformatory  views.  The  case  was  far  dif- 
ferent in  the  Redstone  Association,  to  which  James 
Philips,  a  Welsh  Baptist  preacher,  was  sent  as  a  mes- 
senger from  Stillwater,  and  denied  admission  because 
of  his  open  opposition  to  creeds.  The  Redstone  Asso- 
ciation, indeed,  under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Brownfield 
and  others,  refused  at  their  meeting  to  receive  the  mes- 
sengers from  any  churches  which  did  not  in  their  letters 
expressly  recognize  the  Philadelphia  Confession  of 
Faith.  They  undoubtedly  had  the  constitution  of  the 
Association  in  their  favor,  for  in  this  there  was  a  clause 
requiring  the  churches  to  recognize  the  Philadelphia 
Confession.  This,  however,  had  not  been  adopted  by 
the  majority  of  the  churches  of  the.  Association  individ- 
ually, and  had  remained  heretofore  entirely  inoperative. 

In  Kentucky  a  spirit  somewhat  similar  to  this  marked 
the  course  of  the  Long  Run  Association,  meeting  in 
Bullitt  county.  P.  S.  Fall,  who,  from  ill  health,  had 
given  up  his  charge  in  Louisville,  and  was  now  in 
Frankfort,  fiad  been  clerk  of  this  Association,  to  which 
the  Louisville  Church  belonged  in  1824,  and  had  been 


SPIRIT  OF  INQUIRY,  141 

appointed  to  write  the  circular  letter  for  1825,  and  to  de- 
liver the  introductory  address.  This  address,  which 
was  on  the  **  Opening  of  the  Reign  of  the  Messiah," 
was  so  novel  in  its  subject,  and  so  different  from  the 
usual  theological  disquisitions  in  its  style,  that  it  excited 
much  remark.  The  Circular  Letter,  however,  which 
maintained  that  *'  the  Scriptures  of  the  New  Testament 
were  the  only  and  all-sufBcient  rule  of  faith  and  man- 
ners,*' was  regarded  with  still  greater  suspicion,  and  met 
with  much  hostility.  After  having  been  violently  as- 
sailed and  placed  in  the  hands  of  a  committee  for  inves- 
tigation, by  whom  some  slight  verbal  charges  were 
made  and  an  explanatory  sentence  added,  it  was 
again  read  and  discussed  in  the  Association,  and  finally 
rejected  by  the  casting  vote  of  the  moderator,  Elder 
George  Waller.  On  his  return  to  Frankfort,  Mr.  Fall 
read  the  letter  to  Dr.  Noel  and  Jacob  Creath,  Sr.,  who 
both  warmly  approved  it,  the  former  remarking,  **  If  I 
had  been  there,  it  should  have  passed." 

The  opposition,  however,  of  a  few  leaders  among  the 
Baptists,  who  feared  innovation,  and  desired  to  maintain 
the  usages  of  the  party,  had  but  little  effect  in  arresting 
the  progress  of  the  reformatory  principles  among  the 
churches.  At  the  very  meeting  of  the  Long  Run  Asso- 
ciati6n  which  rejected  the  circular  letter  advocating  the 
Bible  as  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  manners,  the  queries 
presented  by  some  of  the  churches  were  quite  signifi- 
cant of  approaching  change.  Among  those  referred  to 
the  churches  for  investigation  were  the  following : 

**  I.  Is  there  any  authority  in  the  New  Testament  for 
religious  bodies  to  make  kufuan  creeds  and  confessions 
of  faith  the  constitutions  or  directories  of  such  bodies 
in  matters  of  faith  or  practice? 

"2.  Is  there  any  authority  in  the  New  Testament  for 


142         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

Associations?  If  so,  what  is  it?  If  not,  why  are  they 
held? 

**  3.  Are  our  Associations,  as  annually  attended,  of 
general  utilityT^ 

Such  inquiries  indicated  that  the  New  Testament 
was  beginning  to  be  recognized  among  the  Kentucky 
churches  also  as  the  true  religious  standard,  and  that 
there  was  a  waning  faith  in  the  existing.order  of  things. 

Soon  afterward,  in  the  beginning  of  1826,  Mr.  Fall 
removed  to  Nashville  at  the  earnest  invitation  of  the 
church  in  that  city.  Some  of  its  members  were  already 
deeply  interested  in  the  proper  method  of  studying  the 
New  Testament.  Others  had  become  alarmed  at  a 
rumor  that  Mr.  Fall  was  abandoning  the  Baptist  faith. 
Dr.  John  C.  Ewing,  however,  the  clerk  of  the  church, 
wrot^  to  him  (Aug.  28,  1825)  :  "You  need  have  no 
apprehensions  on  this  ground,  and  you  will  find  enough 
here  to  support  you  who  are  tied  to  no  doctrines  but 
those  that  are  indubitably  scriptural.''  He  accordingly 
removed  to  Nashville,  and  in  addition  to  his  labors  in  the 
church,  which  soon  became  entirely  favorable  to  the 
reformatory  principles,  took  charge  of  a  female  acad- 
emy— an  occupation  for  which  he  was  eminently  fitted, 
and  in  which  he  became  highly  distinguished  both  here 
and  at  Frankfort,  to  which  he  returned  after  some  years. 


CHAPTER   V. 

The  new  version — Its  reception — Andrew  Broaddus^  Spiritual  influence — 
R,  B.  Semple— Disruption  at  Redstone— Brush  Ran  Church — Tour  to 
Nashville — Stillwater  Association — Mahoning  Association — Death  of  Mrs. 
Campbell — Religious  movements. 

A  SECT  is  characterized  by  a  marked  stagnation  of 
religious  thought.  The  theological  system  of  each 
party  surrounds  it  with  fixed  boundaries  which  afford  no 
outlet  to  free  investigation.  A  special  orthodoxy,  like 
the  hardened  shell  of  a  moUusk,  prohibits  any  further 
growth  or  development,  and  the  sect  is  walled  in  by  an 
incrustation  derived  from  itself,  from  which  there  is  no 
escape  except  by  casting  off  the  entire  covering.  The 
feelings,  views  and  aims  of  each  party  acquire  a  monot- 
onous uniformity  within  the  narrow  precincts  to  which 
its  creed  confines  them.  Even  the  word  of  God  fails  to 
impart  a  single  free  ray  of  knowledge  through  the 
opaque  investiture  which  forbids  its  entrance,  and  which 
opposes  itself  equally  to  light  from  without  and  growth 
from  within.  Hence  it  is  that  advances  toward  higher 
and  nobler  views  of  religion  are  never  made  by  the 
partisan  or  the  bigot,  but  by  men  who  have  been  eman- 
cipated from  spiritual  thraldom,  and  who  are  either 
disconnected  from  all  sects  or  but  loosely  attached  to 
any.  Such  men  have  appeared  at  various  periods  in 
the  history  of  the  Church,  and  it  has  been  through  their 
instrumentality  that  broader  and  better  conceptions  of 
divine  truth  have  been  presented — that  there  has  been 

143 


144         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL, 

from  time  to  time  an  enforced  readjustment  of  parties, 
and  upon  the  whole  a  certain  amount  of  progress  toward 
simpler  and  truer  views  of  the  gospel. 

Such  reformers,  however,  have  been  usually  so  far  in 
advance  of  their  times  that  they  have  been  neither  coun- 
tenanced nor  comprehended  by  the  people  with  whom 
they  happened  to  be  associated.  But  an  instinctive 
and  unerring  sympathy  has  ever  united  such  independ- 
ent thinkers  with  each  other,  and  however  separated 
they  may  have  been  by  time  and  space  or  accidental 
differences,  they  have  recognized  each  other  as  fellow- 
laborers  in  God's  husbandry,  and  have  admired  and 
cherished  the  products  of  each  other's  toil.  Thus  Mr. 
Campbell  loved  the  memory  of  the  great  and  good,  and 
availed  himself  ^  of  whatever  influence  and  authority  a 
calmer  judgment  or  an  advancing  knowledge  on  the 
part  of  religious  society  had  conceded  to  their  works,  to 
continue  the  structure  they  had  partly  reared  and  czrvy 
forward  the  common  purpose  of  religious  reformation. 
Hence  it  was  that  having  for  several  years  highly  es- 
teemed the  character  of  George  Campbell,  of  Aberdeen, 
and  his  admirable  critical  dissertations  upon  the  gospels, 
as  well  as  his  new  version  from  the  Greek  text,  and 
being  greatly  pleased  with  the  free  renderings  and 
annotations  of  Macknight  on  the  Epistles,  and  of  Dod- 
dridge on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  and  Revelations,  he 
concluded  to  compile  from  these  three  sources  a  com- 
plete translation  of  the  New  Testament,  with  the  addi- 
tion of  such  hints  and  aids  as  might  be  conducive  to  a 
true  comprehension  of  the  sacred  writings. 

To  this  work  he  therefore  devoted  every  spare  mo- 
ment during  the  winter  of  1826.  Having  collected  all 
translations  of  any  note,  he  carefully  examined  every 
word,  comparing  the  various  renderings,  and  adding 


J 


NBW  TRANSLATION.  145 

such  notes  and  observations  as  would  serve  to  elucidate 
the  text  and  assist  the  English  reader.  He  had  formed 
previously  a  very  inadequate  idea  of  the  amount  of 
labor  thus  involved,  but  from  his  great  interest  in  the 
subject  it  became  to  him  a  labor  of  love,  or,  as  he  termed 
it,  '*  a  delightful  and  profitable  employment,"  a  '*  happy 
necessity"  of  reading,  comparing  and  examining  all  the 
various  translations  for  the  purpose  of  understanding 
more  fully  the  blessed  volume.  In  accordance'  with 
his  plan,  he  reserved  to  himself  the  right  of  placing  in 
the  text  the  rendering  of  one  translator  in  preference  to 
that  of  another  if  it  seemed  more  clear  and  accurate, 
placing,  however,  the  rejected  version  in  the  margin  or 
appendix,  so  that  the  reader  might  have  both  before 
him.  He  also  expressly  announced  in  his  prospectus 
that  he  would  introduce  **  one  improvement"  in  order  to 
render  the  version  complete.  **  Sundry  terms,"  said 
he,  "  are  not  translated  into  English,  but  adopted  into 
those  translations  from  long  usage.  These  terms  are 
occasionally  translated  into  English  by  Campbell  and 
Macknight,  but  not  always.  We  shall  uniformly  give 
them  the  meaning  which  they  have  affixed  to  them 
wherever  they  occur,  and  thus  make  this  a  fure  Eng- 
lish New  Testament,  not  mingled  with  Greek  words, 
either  adopted  or  anglicized." 

This  work  appeared  in  the  spring,  in  one  volume 
octavo,  of  some  five  hundred  and  fifty  pages,  well 
printed  on  good  paper  and  in  large  type,  with  general 
and  special  prefaces,  hints  to  readers,  and  notes,  consti- 
tuting the  most  important  aid  to  the  study  of  the  New 
Testament  ever  published  in  so  compact  and  cheap  a 
form.  Mr.  Campbell  well  knew  how  much  a  new  ver- 
sion would  tend  to  promote  the  private  reading  and 
examination  of  the  Scriptures,  and  to  overcome  that 

VOL.  II. — K  13 


1 


146         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

slavish  attachment  to  particular  words  and  phrases 
which  were  supposed  to  favor  party  tenets.  He  earn- 
estly desired  to  bring  individual  minds  into  contact  with 
the  word  of  God,  free  from  all  sectarian  bias  and  from 
the  influence  of  the  phraseology  of  favorite  proof-texts, 
which  seemed  to  carry  conviction  rather  from  their 
familiar  sounds  than  from  their  actual  meaning  or  their 
relevancy.  In  short,  he  wished  to  foster  that  spirit  of 
inquii-y  which  had  been  aroused,  and  to  present  to  the 
people  at  large  a  version  of  the  New  Testament  free 
from  antiquated  and  transferred  terms,  and  accurately 
expressed  in  modern  English,  in  order  that  no  veil 
might  be  interposed  between  men's  understandings  and 
the  sacred  teachings.  He  believed,  furthermore,  that 
as  the  translation  was  the  work  of  Congregational  and 
Presbyterian  "  divines,"  it  would  have  thus  a  passport 
to  public  confidence  which  no  Baptist  version  could 
possess. 

The  '*one  improvement,"  however,  which  he  made, 
as  announced  in  his  prospectus,  was  of  such  a  nature 
as  to  make  it  difficult  to  decide  whether  most  to  admire 
in  it  his  ingenuity,  his  frankness  or  his  intrepidity. 
Each  one  of  the  translators  had  declared  that  the  word 
rendered  baptism  meant  immersion,  yet  in  deference  to 
usage  they  continued  the  anglicized  Greek  term.  Tak- 
ing them  at  their  word,  Mr.  Campbell  simply  gave  the 
English  meaning,  which  they  had  authorized,  for  this 
word  and  its  cognates,  so  as  to  avoid  ambiguity  and 
make  the  work  complete  as  a  translation.  He  wished 
the  version  to  express  freely  and  fully  the  idea  to  be 
conveyed,  just  as  it  did  to  those  to  whom,  in  the  original 
Greek,  it  was  first  addressed ;  and  he  could  not  consent 
conscientiously  to  furnish  for  corruptions,  against  which 
he  had  so  successfully  battled,  the  covert  of  untranslated 


RECEPTION  OF  THE  NEW   VERSION.  147 

words  in  which  they  had  so  long  sought  shelter.  He 
therefore  boldly  and  fearlessly  placed  in  the  text  the 
English  of  the  words  in  question,  and  evinced  at  once 
his  supreme  love  of  truth  and  his  superior  moral  cour- 
age in  being  the  very  first  to  furnish  to  the  English 
reader  a  version  of  the  New  Testament  completely 
rendered  into  his  own  vernacular.  From  the  moment- 
ous issues  involved  in  simply  rendering  these  words 
into  English,  all  others  had  shrunk  in  dismay,  and 
though  conscientiously  compelled,  as  scholars,  to  admit 
their  true  signification,  they  dared  not  venture,  by  man- 
fully adopting  it,  to  condemn  unchristian  practices  at 
which  they  had  themselves  connived.  There  is,  ac- 
cordingly, perhaps,  no  act  of  Mr.  Campbell's  life  which 
exhibits  in  bolder  relief  the  noble  independence  of  his 
character  than  this  "  one  improvement"  which  he  made 
in  thus  completing  the  translation  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  given  by  Doctors  Campbell,  Macknight  and 
Doddridge. 

As  was  to  be  expected,  the  Paedobaptists  were  far 
from  being  pleased  with  a  work  which  gave  such  a 
clinching  to  the  arguments  with  which  Mr.  Campbell 
had  already  transfixed  their  favorite  tenet;  for  the 
sacred  volume  itself  now  spoke  in  plain  English,  and 
every  subterfuge  was  swept  away.  As  the  translation 
was,  however,  substantially  that  of  their  own  great 
men,  they  were  unable  to  make  any  effective  opposi- 
tion. On  the  other  hand,  the  Baptists  as  a  people  were 
not  much  better  satisfied  with  the  **  improvement"  which 
Mr.  Campbell  had  made,  since,  while  it  sanctioned 
their  exclusive  practice  of  immersion,  it  took  away  from 
them  the  cherished  Scripture  authority  for  their  name 
as  a  denomination.  In  this  version,  John  was  no  longer 
**the  Baptist,"  but  simply  *'the  immerser,"  and  they 


148         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

felt  reluctant  to  lose  from  their  -party  so  famous  a  cha- 
racter and  so  honored  a  title.  In  some  of  their  peri- 
odicals, therefore,  those  among  them  who  were  indis- 
posed to  change,  began  to  oppose  the  reformatory 
movement,  and  to  create  suspicion  and  hostility  by 
misrepresentations  of  Mr.  Campbell  and  appeals  to 
denominational  prejudices-  Foremost  among  these 
were  sundry  correspondents  of  the  '*  Baptist  Recorder,'* 
edited  at  Louisville  by  Messrs.  George  Waller  and 
Spencer  Clack.  Others,  in  the  "Western  Luminary,** 
assailed  the  new  version  with  great  bitterness,  endeav- 
oring to  make  the  impression  that  Mr.  Campbell  had 
made  many  alterations  in  the  text  in  order  to  favor  his 
own  views,  etc.  One  writer  asserted  that  he  had  made 
at  least  eighty  variations  from  Dr.  George  Campbell's 
translation  on  the  single  subject  of  baptism,  because  he 
found  that  Mr.  Campbell  had,  according  to  his  pros- 
pectus, changed  the  word  baptism  and  its  cognates 
wherever  they  occurred  into  immersion  and  immerse, 
etc.  Here  it  was  simply  the  repeated  change  of  a 
single  word  or  the  repetition  of  one  change,  but  the 
desire  was  to  make  the  impression  that  there  were 
eighty  distinct  and  different  alterations.  Mr.  Campbell 
observed  in  reply  that  the  writer  "  had  told  eighty  lies 
in  telling  one  truth,  as  if  a  man  should  say  he  had 
seen  eighty  pigeons  when  he  had  only  seen  one  pigeon 
eighty  times."  Again,  because  he  had  in  Acts  xx.  2^, 
adopted  the  reading  of  Griesbach — "Church  of  the 
Lord,"  instead  of  "  Church  of  God,"  in  harmony  with 
his  plan  to  place  the  most  approved  reading  in  the  text, 
giving  the  others  in  the  appendix,  it  was  insinuated  that 
he  was  an  Arian,  though  the  orthodoxy  of  Griesbach, 
the  author  of  the  change,  was  never  called  in  question. 
Such  was  the  general  character  of  the  pitiful  and  pigmy 


HINTS   TO  READERS.  149 

efforts  to  discredit  and  oppose  the  reformatory  princi- 
ples which  were  now  making  themselves  very  widely 
felt  and  were  changing  the  sentiments  and  the  practice 
of  entire  religious  communities.*  In  hardly  any  case 
did  the  opposition  assume  a  frank  and  manly  character. 
On  the  contrary,  it  was  almost  invariably  carried  on  by 
means  of  misrepresentation  and  calumny ;  by  anony- 
mous and  irresponsible  writers,  and  by  editors  who 
carefully  excluded  from  their  columns  Mr.  Campbell's 
exposures  of  the  sophistries  and  perversions  they  had 
eagerly  published  against  him.  The  cause,  neverthe- 
less, advanced  with  rapid  strides;  the  circulation  of  the 
**  Christian  Baptist"  was  month  by  month  extending 
itself;  new  editions  of  the  earlier  volumes  were  de- 
manded, and  before  the  end  of  October  nearly  the 
whole  of  the  first  edition  of  the  New  Testament  was 
disposed  of,  a  number  of  copies  being  taken  both  by 
Baptist  and  Paedobaptist  preachers  of  liberal  views, 
and  the  work  being  highly  praised  by  many  persons  of 
learning  and  critical  discernment.  The  '*  prefaces"  to 
the  different  parts  of  the  work,  and  especially  the 
*'  Hints  to  Readers,"  were  much  commended.  These 
were,  indeed,  extremely  valuable,  as  they  gave  a  con- 
nected view  of  the  design  of  each  of  the  sacred  books 
and  of  the  circumstances  under  which  these  were  written. 


*  One  of  the  singular  facts  connected  with  the  opposition  about  this  period, 
was  the  burning  of  the  new  version  of  the  Testament  by  Elder  Edmund 
Waller,  a  brother  of  one  of  the  editors  of  the  "  Baptist  Recorder."  Having 
kept  the  book  for  some  six  months,  he  then  prayed  ten  days  to  know  whether 
he  should  bum  it  or  not,  and  upon  mature  reflection  came  to  the  conclusion 
to  do  so ;  so  that  having  a  good  fire  one  day,  and  his  family  being  out,  he 
shook  the  leaves  well  and  burned  it  to  ashes  with  a  clear  conscience.  Such 
an  incident  reveals  more  fully  than  any  description  could  do,  the  state  of 
mind  engendered  by  religious  bigotry,  which,  according  to  circumstances,  can 
celebrate  its  auto-da-fi  as  well  in  burning  the  New  Testament  as  in  commit- 
ting a  heretic  to  the  flames.  , 

13  » 


150      Memoirs  of  Alexander  Campbell. 

It  was  quite  a  novel  discoverj'  to  most  readers  to  find 
that  these  writings  had  really  each  a  special  purpose — 
the  Gospels,  to  show  that  Jesus  w^as  the  Son  of  God  ;  the 
Acts,  to  relate  the  planting  of  the  Christian  Church  ;  and 
the  Epistles,  to  develop  the  duties  of  the  Christian  life. 
They  were  surprised  to  see  that  in  each  there  was  a 
consecutive  train  of  reasoning  or  array  of  facts,  so 
greatly  had  men's  minds  been  mystified  and  their  un- 
derstandings confounded  by  the  textuary  system  and 
the  speculations  of  theology.  People  now  felt  that  they 
could  understand  the  divine  revelations  without  the  aid 
of  priests,  and  became  everywhere  engaged  in  the 
diligent  study  of  the  word  of  God. 

Among  those  Baptist  ministers  who  approved  the  new 
version,  and  who  especially  commended  the  **  Hints  to 
Readers,"  was  Andrew  Broaddus,  one  of  the  most 
talented  and  eloquent  preachers  of  Eastern  Virginia. 
He  was  a  man  of  highly-cultivated  intellect  and  of 
liberal  spirit,  though  of  a  somewhat  fastidious  and 
timid  temperament.  Some  months  after  the  appearance 
of  the  letter  from  Bishop  Semple,  who,  notwithstanding 
the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Campbell's  reply,  seemed  disposed 
to  decline  further  correspondence,  Mr.  Broaddus  had 
sent  a  communication  for  the  "Christian  Baptist,"  in 
which  he  expressed  his  approval  of  Mr.  Campbell's 
views  of  the  Christian  religion  as  a  dispensation,  and  his 
general  agreement  with  the  sentiments  in  the  **  Sermon 
on  the  Law"  as  to  the  Mosaic  institution.  In  regard  to 
the  «*  Christian  Baptist,"  he  said  : 

"  I  find  in  it  much  to  approve^  something  to  doubts  and 
something,  too,  from  which  I  must  dissent.  Possibly,  how- 
ever, my  dissension  may  be  ow^ing  (in  part  at  least)  to  the 
want  of  a  full  and  correct  understanding  of  your  sentiments. 
I  said,  much  to  approve;  I  might  use  a  stronger  term  and  say, 


OPERATIONS  OF  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT,  1$! 

much  to  admire.  With  several  of  your  essays  I  have  been 
not  only  pleased  but  delighted.  Many  of  your  remarks,  too, 
in  opposition  to  the  errors  and  follies  too  prevalent  in  the  re- 
ligious world,  meet  my  own  views  and  receive  my  warm  and 
hearty  commendation.  In  a  word,  I  am  greatly  pleased  with 
what  appears  to  be  your  drift  and  aim — viz.,  to  clear  the  re- 
ligion of  Jesus  of  all  the  adventitious  lumber  with  which  it 
has  been  encumbered,  and  bring  back  the  Christian  Church 
to  its  primitive  simplicity  and  beauty." 

Concurring  with  Mr.  Campbell  as  to  Christianity  con- 
sidered as  a  dispensation,  he  goes  on  to  say : 

*'  I  do  hope  that,  upon  a  more  explicit  declaration  of  your 
sentiments,  I  may  find  no  cause  to  disagree  with  you  as  to 
what  more  nearly  concerns  the  nature  of  that  religion — the 
agency^  I  will  say,  which  produces  it  in  us.  I  do  not  wish 
you  to  consider  me,  at  this  time,  as  really  differing  from  you 
on  this  point :  I  only  desire  to  be  better  satisfied.  Let  me 
explain  myself. 

"There  are  some  among  us  possessed  of  strong  apprehen- 
sions that  you  are  disposed  to  deny  the  existence  of  the  re- 
generating and  sanctifying  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on 
the  spirit  or  the  heart  of  man,  and  that  you  would  ascribe  all 
the  religious  effects  produced  in  us  solely  to  the  influence  of 
the  written  Word  or  the  external  revelation  of  God.  And 
these  apprehensions,  permit  me  to  add,  are  not,  in  all  cases, 
the  effect  of  any  prejudice  against  you.  For  myself,  I  have 
said  to  others,  as  I  now  say  to  you,  that  I  cannot  think  this  of 
you.  I  have  seen,  indeed,  many  things  in  your  writings 
which  appear  inconsistent  with  such  a  sentiment — a  senti- 
ment which  obviously  goes  to  the  annihilation  of  all  hope  for 
gracious  aid  in  the  Christian  warfare,  and,  of  course,  to  the 
annihilation  of  prayer  for  any  such  aid.  A  sentiment  which 
would  thus  cut  off  communion  with  God,  and  let  out,  as  I 
may  say,  the  very  life's  blood  of  religion,  I  cannot  think  you 
would  maintain.  Still,  however,  I  would  rather  see  you 
more  explicit  upon  this  point :  it  appears  to  be  due  to  your- 


152        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

self  as  well  as  to  others :  and  to  a  compliance  with  this  wish 
I  should  suppose  you  can  have  no  objection. 

"  That  the  word  of  God  is  the  instrument  of  our  regenera- 
tion and  sanctification,  I  have  no  doubt ;  nor  would  I  think 
of  saying  it  is  his  usual  method  (whatever  he  may  in  some 
cases  choose  to  do)  to  operate  on  the  soul  independent  of  the 
Word.  But  that  there  is  a  living,  divine  agent,  giving  life 
and  energy  to  the  Word,  and  actually  operating  on  the  soul, 
is,  in  my  view,  a  truth  which  forms  one  of  the  glorious  pecu- 
liarities of  the  religion  of  Jesus :  and  thus  I  would  say,  in  the 
language  of  the  apostle,  we  are  '  born  again  not  of  corruptible 
seed,  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the  word  of  God,  which  liveth 
and  abideth  for  ever.' " 

This  communication,  elegantly  written  and  marked 
by  the  utmost  Christian  courtesy  and  candor,  was  re- 
ceived by  Mr.  Campbell  with  great  pleasure,  and  he 
remarked  that  there  had  not  appeared  in  the  *'  Chris- 
tian Baptist"  a  letter  from  any  correspondent  "  more 
evangelical  in  its  scope ;  more  clear  and  luminous  in 
its  object ;  more  unexceptionable  in  its  style ;  more  per- 
fect in  its  soul,  body  and  spirit." 

"  I  am  not  conscious,"  said  he,  in  reply,  "  that  there  is  one 
point  of  controversy  between  us  in  all  the  items  of  practical 
truth  embraced  in  your  letter.  Whatever  diversity  of  opinion 
might  possibly  exist  between  us  in  carrying  out  some  princi- 
ples to  their  legitimate  issue,  I  am  conscious  of  none  in  the 
premises."  .  .  .  Speaking  of  the  "  agency"  which  produces 
the  Christian  religion  in  men,  he  remarks :  "  Were  it  not  for 
the  pernicious  influence  of  the  theories  afloat  on  this  subject, 
I  would  assert  my  concurrence  in  opinion  with  you.  This 
may  appear  a  strange  saying,  but  it  is  in  accordance  with  the 
spirit  of  this  work.  I  have  taken  a  stand  which  I  am  deter- 
mined, by  the  grace  of  God,  not  to  abandon.  I  will  lay  down 
no  new  theories  in  religion,  contend  for  no  old  theories,  nor 
aid  any  theory  now  in  existence.  For  why?  Because  no 
theory  is  the  gospel   of  Jesus  the  Messias.      Nor   can   the 


GOVERNING  PRINCIPLE,  153 

preaching  or  teaching  of  any  theory  be  the  preaching  or 
teaching  of  the  gospel.  And — please  mark  it  well — NO 
MAN  CAN  BE  SAVED  BY  THE  BELIEF  OF  ANY 
THEORY,  TRUE  OR  FALSE :  NO  MAN  WILL  BE 
DAMNED  FOR  THE  DISBELIEF  OF  ANY  THEORY. 
This  position  I  hold  worthy  to  be  printed  in  majestic  capitals. 
.  .  .  Whatever  the  Scriptures  say,  I  say.  The  only  ques- 
tion with  me  is  to  understand  each  sentence  in  the  light  of 
its  own  context.  .  .  .  To  make  new  theories  is  the  way  to 
make  new  divisions.  To  contend  for  the  old  is  to  keep  up 
the  old  divisions,,  either  of  which  would  be  in  direct  opposi- 
tion to  all  my  efforts,  and,  what  is  still  worse,  in  direct  op- 
position to  the  decisions  of  the  Holy  Spirit." 

We  have  here  a  clear  statement  of  the  principle  which 
governed  Mr.  Campbell  throughout  his  entire  life  as  to 
his  utterances  on  the  subject  of  spiritual  influence. 
Knowing  how  the  minds  of  the  people  were  engrossed 
with  theories  of  regeneration  to  the  neglect  of  Scripture 
teaching,  and  how  much  such  speculations  contributed 
to  maintain  religious  dissensions,  he  had  resolved  to 
discountenance  every  thing  of  this  nature,  and  to  con- 
fine attention  to  the  plain  declarations  of  the  word  of 
God.  He  could  not  be  induced,  therefore,  to  go  beyond 
its  simple  ^statements  into  any  inquiries  respecting  the 
unrevealed  links  in  the  chain  of  causation.  By  no 
means  denying  that  influences  were  exerted  in  answer 
to  prayer  in  regard  to  the  conversion  and  sanctification 
of  men,  he  presumed  not  to  define  their  nature,  and 
would  neither  propose  a  new  theory  on  the  subject,  nor 
give  his  assent  to  any  of  those  already  in  vogue.  Mr. 
Broaddus  had  made  a  very  near  approach  to  Mr.  Camp- 
bell's position  when  he  said,  as  above  quoted,  "that 
the  word  of  God  is  the  instrument  of  our  regeneration 
and  sanctification,"  and  that  he  would  not  say  it  was 
God's  "  usual  method  to  operate  on  the  soul  indefendent 


154        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

of  the  Word.^^  But  when  he  added,  "  there  is  a  living 
divine  agent  giving  life  and  energy  to  the  Word,  and 
actually  operating  on  the  soul,"  he  passed  quite  out  of 
Mr.  CampbelFs  field  of  view,  the  Bible  alone,  and 
entered  the  domain  of  theological  speculation.  Mr. 
Campbell  could  see  no  practical  utility  in  this  theory, 
as  the  reception  of  it  did  not  in  any  wise  tend  to  induce 
the  supposed  agency,  and  therefore  availed  nothing. 
On  the  other  hand,  its  adoption  at  once  changed  the 
relations  of  those  who  embraced  it  to  the  word  of  God. 
Men  could  no  longer  esteem  this  **  worthy  of  all  accepta- 
tion," "  greater"  than  the  "testimony  of  men,"  "able 
to  make  *  them'  wise  unto  salvation,"  or  "  quick  and 
powerful ;"  for  the  theory  declared  it  to  be  deficient  in 
energy  and  to  be  actually  "  dead,"  requiring  some  un- 
defined agency  to  give  it  "life."  This  Mr.  Campbell 
could  never  for  a  moment  admit,  and  it  was  in  opposi- 
tion to  this  very  theological  dogma  that,  adopting  the 
language  of  the  proto-martyr,  and  in  harmony  with  the 
saying  of  Christ,  "  The  words  that  I  speak  unto  you, 
they  are  spirit  and  they  are  life,"  he  entitled  his  later  edi- 
tions of  the  New  Testament,  "  The  Living  Oracles." 
His  love  for  that  sacred  volume  rendered  him  jealous  of 
every  philosophy  which  would  in  the  slightest  degree 
derogate  from  its  power  and  its  sufficiency  when  brought 
into  contact  with  the  human  mind.  Such  were  his  con- 
ceptions of  the  "  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God," 
that  he  regarded  it  as  embodying  in  itself  "  the  power 
of  God  for  salvation  to  every  one  who  believed  it,"  and 
as  presenting,  in  the  demonstrations  of  the  Spirit  and  of 
power  which  attended  its  introduction,  all  the  evidences 
necessary  to  the  production  of  faith.  He  by  no  means 
doubted  or  denied  the  impartation  and  aids  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  but  as  the  promise  of  the  Spirit  was  to  believers 


POINT  OF  DIFFICULXr.  1 55 

only,  he  could  not  admit  that  it  was  given  to  unbelievers 
in  order  to  produce  faith,  as  the  theory  in  question  re- 
quired. He,  therefore,  thus  expressed  himself  in  his 
reply  to  Mr.  Broaddus  : 

*'  If  any  man  accustomed  to  speculate  on  religion  as  a  mere 
science  should  infer  from  anything  I  have  sard  on  these  theories 
that  I  contend  for  a  religion  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit  has 
nothing  to  do ;  in  which  there  is  no  need  of  prayer  for  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  in  which  there  is  no  communion  of  the  Holy 
Spirit;  in  which  there  is  no  peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Spirit, 
— he  does  me  the  greatest  injustice.  .  .  .  All  whom  I  baptize, 
I  baptize  into  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  I  pray  for  the  love  of  the  Father,  the  grace 
of  the  Son  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  remain 
with  all  the  saints.  A  religion  of  which  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
not  the  author,  the  subject-matter  and  the  perfecter  is  sheer 
Deism.  To  a  man  who  teacbes  otherwise  I  would  say :  'Art 
thou  a  teacher  in  Israel,  and  knowest  not  these  things?*  .  .  . 
The  uncontrovertible  fact  is,  men  must  be  born  from  ahove^ 
and  for  this  purpose  the  glad  tidings  are  announced.  Let  us 
simply  promulgate  them  in  all  their  simplicity  and  force,  un- 
mixed with  theory,  uncorrupted  with  philosophy,  uncompli- 
cated with  speculation  and  unfettered  by  system,  and  mark 
the  issue." 

However  clear  the  view  Mr.  Campbell  thus  gave  of 
his  position,  and  however  proper,  and,  in  a  practical 
point  of  view,  sufficient  the  course  he  so  earnestly  ad- 
vocated in  the  interests  of  Christian  peace  and  union,  it 
must  be  confessed  that  the  point  of  real  difficulty  re- 
mained still  untouched,  and  that,  for  want  of  a  full  ex- 
planation of  this,  his  views  continued  to  be  misappre- 
hended and  misrepresented.  For  it  was  undeniable 
that '*  influences"  independent  of  the  gospel  were  ex- 
erted in  regard  to  unbelievers  in  order  to  the  production 
of  faith.    Admitting  that  the  "power"  was  in  the  gospel 


156        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

or  word  of  God,  the  question  which  demanded  elucida- 
tion still  recurred — ^Why  do  not  all  who  hear  the  gospel 
believe  and  obey  it?  Why,  out  of  a  large  audience 
who  hear  the  gospel  announced,  will  perhaps  only  one 
.or  two  individuals  receive  it  and  act  upon  their  convic- 
tions? Where  all  have  alike  the  opportunity  of  hearing, 
why  is  the  gospel  brought  into  contact  with  the  heart 
and  mind  of  some  and  not  of  others  or  of  all?  Most 
assuredly  there  is  a  special  influence  here  to  be  ac- 
counted for — an  influence  admitted  b}'  Mr.  Campbell 
himself  equally  with  his  opponents,  since  with  them  he 
felt  it  his  duty  to  offer  up  prayers  for  the  conversion  of 
sinners,  which  necessarily  supposed  a  special  divine  in- 
tervention in  their  behalf.  It  was  the  conviction  that 
such  aid  was  to  be  expected,  coupled  with  the  natural 
and  just  longing  of  the  human  heart  for  some  tangible, 
personal  and  sensible  evidence  of  acceptance  with  God, 
that  first  gave  rise  to  the  mystical  theory  of  regenera- 
tion, which,  engrafted  by  Jacob  Boehler  upon  the  more 
simple  faith  of  Wesley,  had  at  length  pervaded  almost 
the  entire  religious  community.  As  this  difficulty,  there- 
fore, still  remained  to  be  elucidated  in  the  further  pro- 
gress of  the  Reformation,  Mr.  Campbell's  reply  at  this 
period  failed  to  prove  entirely  satisfactory  to  Mr. 
Broaddus. 

Hence,  in  his  next  letter,  he  said : 

"  While  many  things  in  your  answer,  and  many  incidental 
remarks  in  reference  to  this  very  point,  met  my  admiring  ap- 
probation, I  felt  some  degree  of  disappointment  at  the  manner 
in  which  you  considered  it  proper  to  shape  your  reply  in  this 
particular  case.  Your  reasons  are  no  doubt  satisfactory  to 
yourself;  perhaps  they  ought  to  be  so  to  me  and  to  all.  I 
have  heard  much  said  about  your  answer  to  Paulinus^  for  it 
h^  excited  among  us  a  high  degi'ee  of  attention.     Some  of 


VIEWS   OF  ANDREW  BROADDUS.  157 

your  readers  are  satisfied  ;  some  are  not.  And  though,  upon 
a  candid,  careful  reperusal  of  your  letter,  I  think  it  justly  due 
to  you  to  say  that  you  are  an  avowed  friend  to  the  Spirits 
operations  in  the  production  of  genuine  religion^  I  must 
own  that  I  could  still  wish  you  had  found  in  your  heart  to 
dispense  with  what  I  consider  an  over-degree  of  scrupulosity, 
and  to  answer  in  a  more  direct  manner.  ...  I  must  think 
you  carry  your  scruples  on  the  subject  of  theories  and  systems 
to  some  excess."  After  expressing  his  own  disapprobation 
of  mere  theorizing,  he  adds  the  following  just  remarks :  "  It 
is  to  be  lamented,  indeed,  that  systems  seem  to  please  some 
professors  of  religion  more  than  the  good  news  of  salvation 
by  Christ,  and  that  they  manifest  more  solicitude  for  the  pre- 
servation of  their  beloved  plans  than  for  the  maintenance  of 
vital  and  practical  godliness.  Touch  every  chord  in  the  lyre 
of  salvation,  they  still  remain  listless,  unmoved,  till  the 
darling  notes  be  sounded  to  which  their  spirits  are  in  unison. 
Oh  for  the  time  when  divine  truth — the  whole  of  divine  truth 
— shall  be  relished  as  coming  from  God ! — when  the  souls  of 
professed  Christians,  tuned  by  grace,  shall  respond  to  every 
declaration  of  the  will  of  God;  now  with  \io\y  fear^  now 
with  lively  hope^  now  with  ^joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,' 
and  always  with  obedient  faith  that  works  by  love.'.  This 
will  not  be  till  the  Bible  is  taken  in  good  earnest  as  the 
standard  of  faith  and  practice.  Oh,  sir,  may  God  speed  your 
efforts  to  call  the  people  to  this  only  standard !  May  he  assist 
us  to  plant  this  standard,  this  milk-white  banner,  on  the 
heights  of  Zion,  no  more  to  be  insulted  by  the  parti-colored 
flags  of  creeds  and  confessions  of  faith  waving  over  it  I" 

While  Mr.  Broaddus  was  quite  agreed  with  Mr. 
Campbell  in  his  opposition  to  creeds  as  standards  of 
faith,  and  in  regard  to  the  need  of  reformation  among 
the  Baptists,  and,  in  some  measure,  even  to  the  restora- 
tion of  the  "  ancient  order  of  things,"  he  still  clung 
tenaciously  to  his  theory  of  spiritual  operations  in  con- 
version,  to    which    he   seemed   earnestly   desirous   of 

14 


IS8         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

winning  over  his  highly-esteemed  friend,  the  editor  of 
the  *' Christian  Baptist."  In  reference  to  the  wish  he 
had  expressed  that  Mr.  Campbell  had  given  a  more 
direct  reply  to  his  assertion  that  there  was  a  spiritual 
agency,  "  giving  life  and  energy  to  the  Word  and 
actually  operatmg  on  the  soul,"  the  latter  replied : 

"  There  may  be  questions  proposed  on  subjects  of  which 
the  Bible  speaks  which  the  Bible  will  not  answer.  For  ex- 
ample, How  does  the  Spirit  influence  the  minds  of  men  f 
is  a  question  I  cannot  answer  from  the  Bible.  But  if  I  be  asked. 
Does  the  Spirit  regenerate  the  human  heart?  Does  it  influ- 
ence the  minds  of  men  ?  I  answer,  the  Bible  teaches  it  does. 
But  I  have  a  great  scrupulosity  of  mind  in  going  beyond  what 
is  written  on  this  subject  in  particular.  The  reason  is,  some 
speculative  theory  of  spiritual  operation  is  the  very  essence, 
the  very  soul,  of  every  system  of  religion  in  Christendom.  .  .  . 
If  any  man  ask  me  how  the  influence  and  aid  of  the  Spirit  is 
obtained,  I  answer.  By  prayer  and  the  word  of  God. 
Thus  I  will  give  direct  answers  so  far  as  I  think  the  Oracles 
authorize. 

*'  But  I  am  governed  more  in  speaking  upon  this  subject  by 
the  following  than  by  all  other  considerations :  THE  APOS- 
TLES PREACHED  CHRIST,  AND  NOT  THE  HOLY 
SPIRIT ;  or,  rather,  they  preached  the  Holy  Spirit  when 
they  preached  Christ,  So  the  Saviour  instructed  and  com- 
manded them.  They  preach  the  Spirit  with  most  success 
who  say  nothing  about  his  work  In  conversion.  So  did 
the  apostles.  In  all  the  sermons  pronounced  by  the  apostles 
to  unregenerated  persons,  of  which  we  have  so  many  samples 
in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  they  never  once  spoke  of  the  work 
of  the  Spirit  in  conversion.  Not  one  example  In  all  the 
volume — not  one  model  of  the  discourses  we  every  day  hear 
about  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  The  apostles  remembered 
that  the  Spirit  was  not  to  speak  of  himself,  his  own  oflice  and 
work,  but  of  Christ.  Their  good  news,  therefore,  was  about 
Christ  crucified." 


BIS  Hap  SEMPLE,  1 59 

His  earnest  pleading,  however,  for  the  simple  teach- 
ings of  the  word  of  God  availed  but  little  with  the  lead- 
ing Baptist  preachers  in  Virginia,  so  long  as  he  refused 
to  commit  himself  to  their  favorite  theory  of  spiritual 
operations.  Some  speculative  view  of  this  subject  had 
indeed  become,  as  Mr.  Campbell  well  remarked,  '*  the 
very  essence,  the  very  soul,"  of  modern  systems  of  re- 
ligion ;  and  because  he  would  not  go  beyond  the  actual 
statements  of  the  Bible  in  reference  to  the  work  of 
human  salvation,  it  was  natural  that  those  opposed  to 
him  should  avail  themselves  of  the  popularity  of  the 
theory  of'*  spiritual  operations"  in  order  to  create  prej- 
udice against  him,  and  that  even  good  and  pious  men, 
accustomed  to  rely  on  what  they  called  their  *'  Christian 
experience,"  should  stand  in  doubt  of  his  religious  posi- 
tion. As  he  continued,  in  perfect  consistency  with  the 
principles  with  which  he  set  out,  to  maintain  the  ground 
he  had  taken,  this  subject  became  a  very  prominent 
theme  of  discussion  throughout  his  entire  ministry,  re- 
curring again  and  again  in  various  forms.  In  order  to 
avoid  a  too  frequent  reference  to  it,  it  may  be  here 
stated  that  in  the  following  year  (1827)  Bishop  Semple 
wrote  a  letter  to  Silas  M.  Noel,  D.D.,  of  Kentucky, 
which  was  published  in  the  '*  Baptist  Recorder,"  in 
which  he  remarked  in  relation  to  the  letters  of  Mr. 
Broaddus,  above  quoted :  *'  He  [Paulinus]  wrote  some- 
thing last  year  in  which  he  certainly  went  too  far.  He 
is  now  convinced  (I  am  persuaded),  and  is  guarded 
against  our  friend  Campbell's  chimeras." 

A  writer,  signing  himself  '*  Querens,"  in  the  "  Chris- 
tian Baptist,"  then  publicly  called  upon  Bishop  Semple 
to  point  out  the  '*  chimeras"  which  he  attributed  to  Mr. 
Campbell.  This  Bishop  Semple  declined,  saying  that 
Sandeman,  Glas  and  the  Haldanes  had  been  master 


l6o        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

spirits  upon  the  same  system  many  years  ago,  and  had 
been  effectually  answered  by  Fuller  and  others.  He 
added : 

^'  If  I  am  called  upon,  then,  to  establish  my  assertions  as  to 
Mr.  CampbeU's  views,  I  refer  '  Qiierens'  and  all  such  to 
Fuller's  work  against  Sandeman,"  etc.  He  says  he  is  indis- 
posed to  controversy,  but  adds :  "  If,  however,  I  should  be 
disposed  to  become  a  controversialist,  I  believe  I  should  as 
soon  enter  the  lists  with  my  friend  Campbell  as  any  other,  for 
three  reasons.  One  is,  on  the  points  on  which  we  differ  I 
am  persuaded  he  is  palpably  on  the  wrong  side,  and  it  would 
not  be  a  hard  task  to  make  it  manifest.  A  second  is,  he  is  so 
much  of  a  champion  that  to  be  beaten  by  him  would  not  be 
so  discreditable  as  it  might  be  with  some  other  antagonists. 
A  third  is,  I  think  him  a  generous  combatant  with  one  who 
wishes  nothing  but  fair  play." 

To  this  letter,  which  Mr.  Campbell  transferred  from 
the  *'  Recorder"  to  the  •*  Christian  Baptist,"  he  made  a 
veVy  kind  and  respectful  repl}^  showing  that  the  bishop's 
plan  of  disposing  of  the  matter  was  wholly  unsatisfac- 
tory to  the  public. 

"  The  reflecting  part  of  the  community,"  he  observed, "  will 
say,  Why  not  show  that  Campbell  is  wrong  by  the  use  of 
reason  and  Scripture,  rather  than  by  defaming  him?"  He 
concludes  his  answer  thus :  "  As  you  have  more  than  once 
commended  many  excellent  things  in  the  '  Christian  Baptist,' 
and  as  you  are  now  brought  out  or  dragged  out  to  oppose 
me,  it  behooves  you  to  discriminate  the  things  which  you  dis- 
approve from  those  you  approve  in  the  '  Christian  Baptist.' 
And  now.  Brother  Semple,  I  call  upon  you  as  a  man,  as  a 
scholar,  as  a  Christian  and  as  a  Christian  bishop,  to  come 
forward  and  make  good  your  assertions  against  your  '  friend 
Campbell.'  My  pages  are  open  for  you.  You  shall  have 
line  for  line,  period  for  period,  page  for  page  with  me.  I 
pledge  myself  to  address  you  and  treat  you  as  a  gentleman 
and  a  Christian  ought  to  do.     You  will  not  find  an  insinua- 


MSSArS  OF  PAULINUS,  l6l 

tion  nor  a  personality  in  all  I  may  say  of  you.  I  wish  to 
give  you  a  fair  specimen  of  that  sort  of  discussion  which  I 
approve,  and  to  show  what  reason,  demonstration  and  Scrip- 
ture declaration  can  achieve  with  an  able  and  an  honorable 
opponent.  There  is  no  man  in  America  I  would  rather  have 
for  an  opponent,  if  I  must  have  an  opponent,  than  thee. 
Come  forward  then,  Brother  Semple — choose  the  topics,  one 
at  a  time ;  numerically  arrange  your  arguments  and  proofs ; 
make  ever}'thing  plain  and  firm,  and  in  good  temper,  spirit 
and  affection  show  me  where  I  have  erred ;  and  if  I  cannot 
present  reason.  Scripture  and  good  sense  to  support  me,  I 
will  yield  to  your  superior  discernment,  age  and  experience, 
one  by  one,  the  points  in  which  we  differ.  And  as  this  work 
is  generally  bound  in  volumes,  your  essays,  the  antidote  or 
the  remedy,  will  descend  with  the  poison  to  its  future  readers." 

As  Bishop  Semple  paid  no  attention  to  this  earnest 
appeal,  Mr.  Campbell,  after  waiting  some  months, 
thought  it  due  to  the  cause  he  advocated  to  analyze  the 
bishop's  two  letters  to  Dr.  Noel,  in  which  he  had  spoken 
disparagingly  of  his  views,  and  advocated  creeds,  etc. 
This  analysis,  though  kind  in  manner,  was  searching 
in  its  range,  and  the  result  of  the  whole  affair  was  de- 
cidedly unfavorable  to  Bishop  Semple's  reputation  for 
ability  and  wisdom,  while  his  character  as  a  pious  and 
devoted  Christian  remained  unquestioned.  During  this 
period  Mr.  Broaddus  thought  it  due  to  himself  to  state 
that  Bishop  Semple  was  mistaken  in  supposing  that  he 
had  at  all  changed  his  views  in  reference  to  the  ques- 
tions he  had  treated  in  his  essays  in  the  **  Christian 
Baptist."  He  also  took  occasion  to  renew  his  effort  in 
behalf  of  the  theory  of  '*  spiritual  operations,**  and  for- 
warded for  the  "  Christian  Baptist"  two  very  elegantly 
and  carefully  written  articles  on  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  the  salvation  of  men,  in  which  he  considered 
the  reality  of  a  divine  influence,  its  principal  effects 

▼OL.  II. — L  14  • 


l62         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL. 

and  its  practical  importance.  He  did  not  advocate 
**  irresistible  operations,"  or  any  of  the  particular  sys- 
tems of  the  day,  nor  did  he  contend  for  a  divine  influ- 
ence of  a  mere  physical  nature  detached  from  revealed 
truth,  but  admitted  that  there  dwelt  in  the  word  of  truth 
**  a  living  principle  which,  when  that  word  is  received, 
has  a  never-failing  tendency  to  bring  forth  the  fruits  of 
holiness  in  heart  and  life."  The  leading  sentiment  of 
the  essays,  however,  was,  in  substance,  *'that  we  are 
dependent  on  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  render 
the  word  of  truth  effectual  to  our  conversion  and  final 
salvation." 

In  his  reply,  Mr.  Campbell  said  that  few  of  the  intel- 
ligent readers  of  the  "  Christian  Baptist"  would  dissent 
from  the  above  views. 

"  If  you,  Brother  Paulinas,"  said  he,  "  discard  the  doctrine 
of  irresistible  operations  upon  unbelievers,  you  are  happily 
safe  from  the  systems  which  I  have  been  so  long  combating 
and  endeavoring  to  expose  in  my  various  essays  on  the  work 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  salvation  of  men.  I  have  contended 
that  the  Spirit  of  God  has  done  something  which  renders  un- 
belief and  unregeneracy  a  sin  in  all  men  who  have  access  to 
the  Bible,  independent  of  anything  to  be  done ;  and  I  have 
taught  that  it  will  do  something  for  those  who,  from  what  it 
has  done^  are  immersed  into  the  faith  of  the  gospel.  What 
it  has  done  has  given  strength  to  the  weak,  life  to  the  dead 
and  reclaimed  enemies  to  God  ;  what  it  will  do  is  to  beget  a 
holy  spirit  and  temper — to  fill  with  peace  and  joy  and  right- 
eousness those  who  believe.  I  will  not,  therefore,  with  the 
speculative  philosopher,  make  what  the  Spirit  of  God  has 
already  done  of  none  effect,  to  make  way  for  something  yet 
to  be  done.  Nor  will  I  ascribe  everything  to  what  the  Spirit 
has  done  in  the  inditing  and  confirming  the  testimony,  to  the 
exclusion  of  any  influence  upon  the  minds  of  those  who, 
through  faith,  have  been  immersed  for  the  remission  of  sins 


MAHONING  ASSOCIATION.  163 

and  this  heavenly  gift.  .  .  .  The  whole  world,  with  whom  the 
Spirit  of  God  strives  in  the  written  Word  now,  as  it  once  did 
in  the  mouths  of  prophets  and  apostles,  have  no  excuse  for 
their  unbelief  or  unregeneracy ;  and  those  who  have  put  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  are  invited  to  abound  in  all  the  joys,  consola- 
tions and  purifying  influences  of  this  Holy  Spirit." 

Thus  the  matter  ended  as  before.  Both  equally  be- 
lieved that  salvation  was  due  to  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit^  Mr.  Campbell  thought  that  in  conversion  the 
power  was  in  the  word  of  God.  Mr.  Broaddus  sup- 
posed that  the  direct  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was  neces- 
sary to  render  that  Word  effectual.  Both  equally  ad- 
mitted the  presence  and  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
believers,  and  as  Mr.  Campbell  thought  it  right  to  pray 
for  the  conversion  of  men,  he  necessarily  admitted  that 
some  influence  additional  to  that  of  the  gospel  was 
exerted  also  in  the  case  of  unbelievers.  The  only 
point,  then,  of  real  difference  was  simply  the  nature  of 
this  influence,  Mr.  Broaddus  regarding  it  as  a  direct 
work  of  the  Spirit  upon  the  heart,  and  Mr.  Campbell 
pleading  the  Scripture  declarations  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
could  be  received  only  by  believers.  As  to  the  nature 
of  the  influences  or  aids  which  the  latter  virtually  ad- 
mitted in  conversion,  he  at  this  period  offered  no  opinion, 
and  Mr.  Broaddus  had  brought  no  Scripture  evidence 
to  show  that  the  Holy  Spirit  could  be  received  by  an 
unbeliever,  or  that  any  such  theory  of  spiritual  opera- 
tions had  ever  been  propounded  in  primitive  times. 

Pending  these  discussions,  the  cause  of  the  Reform- 
ation continued  to  make  rapid  progress  among  the 
Baptist  churches.  In  the  fall  of  1826,  Mr.  Campbell 
attended  as  usual  the  Mahoning  Association,  which  con- 
vened at  Canfleld,  August  25th,  John  Brown  and  John 
Encell  being  associated  with  him  as  messengers  from 


164         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

the  church  at  Wellsburg.  On  the  day  of  assembling, 
Mr.  Campbell  preached  at  one  o'clock,  p.m.,  from  2 
Tim.  iii.  2.  Adamson  Bentley  was  appointed  moder- 
ator, and  J.  Gaskill,  clerk.  Those  invitecl  to  a  seat 
were  Corbley  Martin,  Sidney  Rigdon,  W.  West,  J.  Os- 
borne, Thomas  Campbell  and  Walter  Scott,  it  being  the 
first  visit  of  the  latter  to  the  Western  Reserve.  The 
presence  of  so  many  able  preachers  rendered  the  meet- 
ing one  of  great  interest  and  religious  enjoyment. 
After  completing  its  business  with  entire  harmony,  the 
Association  made  appointments  for  preaching  on  the 
Lord's  day  in  the  Presbyterian  meeting-house.  At  10 
A.M.,  Walter  Scott  spoke  from  the  nth  chapter  of 
Matthew;  Sidney  Rigdon  then  delivered  an  address 
based  on  i6th  chapter  of  John.  After  an  interval,  Mr. 
Campbell  read  the  last  chapter  of  Malachi,  and  pre- 
sented a  view  of  the  progress  of  the  light  of  divine 
revelation,  which  was  so  grand  in  its  conceptions,  so 
striking  in  its  illustrations  and  so  comprehensive  in  its 
scope  that  it  made  a  most  profound  impression,  and 
was  never  forgotten  by  those  who  heard  it. 

Having  been  appointed  by  the  Association  its  corre- 
sponding messenger  to  both  the  Stillwater  and  Redstone 
Associations,  and  the  latter  meeting  in  the  following 
week,  Mr.  Campbell,  after  tarrying  at  home  one  day, 
set  out  to  visit  his  old  associates  of  disputatious  memory. 
He  found  that  as  at  the  meeting  of  the  previous  year 
they  had  rejected  all  church  letters  which  did  not  refer 
to  the  Philadelphia  Confession,  so  now  the  ruling  spirits 
had  resolved  to  carry  out  their  purposes  with  unsparing 
zeal.  The  Association  consisted  of  twenty-three  or 
twenty-four  churches,  each  entitled  to  a  representation 
by  three  messengers.  As  Elder  Brownfield  and  those 
acting  with  him  were  aware  that  they  could  not  com- 


WASHINGTON  ASSOCIATION.  165 

» 

mand  a  majority  of  all  the  voters  on  any  motion,  they 
determined  to  prevent  those  opposed  to  them  from  hav- 
ing any  participation  in  the  business  of  the  meeting. 
Out  of  seventy-two  voters  they  found  only  thirty  to  be 
in  their  favor,  and  these  thirty  messengers,  accordingly, 
representing  ten  churches,  constituted  themselves  the 
Association,  and  appointing  their  own  officers,  pro- 
ceeded to  arraign,  under  the  constitution,  those  churches 
which  had  not  formally  accepted  the  Philadelphia  Con- 
fession. The  fate  of  these  churches  was  not  long  in 
suspense.  The  church  at  Washington,  after  having 
been  denounced  as  Arian,  Socinian,  Arminian,  Anti- 
nomian,  etc.,  was  first  denied  admission.  Next  the 
Maple  Creek  Church  was  brought  up  for  trial  and  cut 
off,  though  the  actors  expressed  great  regret  for  its 
pastor,  the  aged  Henry  Spears,  who  was  deservedly 
beloved.  After  this,  the  church  on  Pigeon  Creek,  with 
Matthias  Luse  as  pastor,  shareji  the  same  fate,  as  did 
likewise  the  rest,  ten  churches  thus  excluding  thirteen. 
These  high-handed  measures,  however,*  failed  of  their 
purpose,  and  ultimately  recoiled  upon  those  who  insti- 
gated them.  The  excluded  messengers  immediately 
assembled  at  a  house  about  a  half  a  mile  distant  and 
requested  Mr.  Campbell  to  deliver  a  discourse,  which 
he  did,  and  upon  their  return  home,  having  reported 
the  case  to  their  respective  churches,  most  of  these 
agreed  to  send  messengers  to  form  a  new  association  at 
Washington  in  November,  which  was  accordingly  done. 
At  the  first  meeting  of  this  Association,  on  Friday,  Sep- 
tember 7,  1827,  the  constitution  drawn  up  at  the  con- 
vention of  churches  in  November  previous  was  adopted 
as  the  constitution  of  the  Association.  It  was  very 
short,  making  no  mention  of  the  Philadelphia  Confes- 
sion, but  declaring  as  the  second  article,  '*  We  receive 


1 66        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL, 

the  Scriptures  as  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice  to 
all  the  churches  of  Christ."  As  it  gave  four  messen- 
gers to  each  church,  Brush  Run  Church  was  repre- 
sented by  Thomas  Campbell,  Joseph  Bryant,  John 
Kawkins  and  Joseph  Matthews.  Matthias  Luse  was 
chosen  moderator  and  Ephraim  Estep,  clerk.  James 
Phillips  of  Steubenville,  John  Brown  of  Wellsburg,  S. 
Williams  of  Pittsburg  and  others  present,  were  invited 
to  seats,  and  after  a  pleasant  meeting  the  Association 
adjourned  to  meet  at  Peter's  Creek  in  September  of  the 
following  year.  To  close  the  history  of  the  Redstone 
Association,  it  may  be  here  added  that  the  party  under 
Brownfield  was  as  far  from  being  at  peace  after  the 
disruption  as  before,  since  it  carried  within  it  those  dis- 
cordant elements  which  had  been  the  cause  of  dissen- 
sion in  the  past.  More  liberal  doctrinal  views  and  a 
more  favorable  feeling  toward  missionary  operations 
had  been  for  some  time  gaining  ground  among  the 
churches,  and  now  bega^n  to  prevail,  while  the  hyper- 
Calvinistic  sentiments  and  narrow  policy  of  the  minority 
became  more  and  more  confirmed  by  opposition.  At 
length  overtures  were  made  to  form  a  new  association 
of  the  churches  north  of  the  National  Road,  and  a  con- 
vention held  at  the  Forks  of  Yough  in  May,  1832, 
framed  accordingly  the  constitution  of  the  "  Mononga- 
hela  Association,"  with  which  the  churches  generally 
in  this  region  became  united,  Elder  Brownfield  and  a 
few  others  of  the  "  elect"  remaining  disconnected. 
These  became  soon  after  involved  in  a  suit  at  law  with 
the  others  for  certain  church  property,  which,  after 
causing  them  much  expense  and  trouble,  was  decided 
against  the  Brownfield  party,  so  that  the  '*  final  perse- 
verance" of  those  who  had  manifested  so  much  hostility 
to  Mr.  Campbell,  and  so  overbearing  and  self-willed  a 


BRUSH  RUN  CHURCH.  167 

spirit  in  the  Redstone  Association,  reduced  them  at  last 
to  a  dissevered,  discontented  and  insignificant  faction. 

The  church  at  Brush  Run,  after  its  connection  with 
the  Washington  Association,  did  not  long  maintain  itself 
as  a  separate  organization.  It  had  already  been  greatly 
reduced  in  number  by  removals.  The  spirit  of  emigra- 
tion and  the  project  of  forming  a  sort  of  Christian  colony 
in  a  newer  portion  of  the  country,  which  had  once  be- 
fore been  decided  upon,  but  not  executed,  still  occupied 
the  thoughts  of  some  of  the  members.  James  Foster, 
at  length,  in  the  spring  of  18^,  concluded  to  sell  his 
interest  in  the  farm  on  which  he  lived,  which  he  had  ac- 
quired by  his  second  wife,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Welsh,  to 
whom,  after  the  death  of  his  first  wife,  he  was  married 
March  25,  1813.  John  Wilson  and  some  others  agree- 
ing to  remove  along  with  him,  he  purchased  one  thou- 
sand acres  of  land  in  Marshall  county,  near  what  was 
called  Beeler's  Station,  and  here  formed  a  new  settle- 
ment with  his  friends  and  established  a  small  church, 
which,  in  process  of  time,  increased  and  gave  origin  to 
others.  In  this  retired  and  secluded  region  amidst  the 
hills,  whose  pure  fountains  and  limpid  rivulets,  mur- 
muring through  deep  and  rocky  dells,  constitute  the 
sources  of  Grave  Creek,  James  Foster  continued  to  re- 
side and  to  labor  in  behalf  of  the  Reformation,  rearing 
a  numerous  family  in  the  simple  and  industrious  habits 
of  the  early  settlers.  After  his  departure  the  few  re- 
maining members  at  Brush  Run  continued  for  a  time  in 
connection  with  the  Washington  Association ;  but  as  it 
was  more  convenient  to  many  of  them  to  assemble  in 
the  vicinity  of  Mr.  .Campbell's  residence,  a  church  was 
finally  constituted  there,  and  the  meeting  at  Brush  Run 
was  discontinued. 

During  the  year  1826,  Mr.  Campbell  was  again  called 


1 68        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

upon  to  suffer  domestic  affliction  in  the  loss  of  his 
youngest  daughter,  Margaretta,  who  sickened  and  died 
in  the  month  of  May,  being  then  seventeen  months  old. 
Mrs.  Campbell's  health,  too,  seemed  at  this  time  to  be 
gradually  failing,  and,  as  symptoms  of  pulmonary  dis- 
ease began  to  appear,  Mr.  Campbell,  after  his  return 
from  the  Associations  in  September,  thought  it  advisable 
to  try  the  effect  of  traveling  and  of  a  milder  climate, 
with  a  view  to  her  recovery.  Setting  out  accordingly 
in  November,  he  journeyed  with  her  to  Kentucky,  ac- 
companied alsci  by  his  eldest  daughter,  now  about  six- 
teen, but  intelligent,  beyond  her  years  and  possessed 
of  remarkable  personal  beauty.  Proceeding  by  easy 
stages  through  Mason  county,  visiting  many  friends  and 
preaching  at  various  points,  he  reached  Versailles  in 
December,  where  he  delivered  a  discourse  upon  the 
typical  revelations  of  the  Bible,  based  chiefly  upon  the 
fourth  and  sixth  chapters  of  Nehemiah.  The  character 
of  the  theme  was  well  suited  to  his  peculiar  powers,  and 
such  was  the  grandeur  of  the  conceptions  presented  of 
the  different  dispensations,  and  so  striking  the  applica- 
tions made  to  the  existing  conditions  of  religious  society, 
that  an  indelible  impression  was  produced  upon  the 
minds  of  those  who  heard  it.  He  visited  Louisville  in 
January,  filling  also  some  appointments  in  Indiana,  and 
passing  thence  to  Nashville,  spent  some  weeks  there, 
preaching  frequently,  to  the  great  delight  of  the  Church 
and  of  the  community,  amongst  whom  the  welcome 
strangers  formed  many  agreeable  acquaintances  and 
found  many  warm  friends. 

The  church  at  Nashville,  under  the  labors  of  Mr. 
Fall,  was  at  this  time  fully  engaged  in  the  reformatory 
movement.  The  previous  year  it  had  declined  uniting 
with  any  association,  but  during  the  fall  of  this  year 


CONCORD  ASSOCIATION,  169 

(1826)  had  concluded  to  apply  for  admission  into  the 
Concord  Association  on  terms  similar  to  those  upon 
which  the  Brush  Run  Church  had  first  entered  Red- 
stone — ^viz.,  that  no  creed  other  than  the  Bible  should 
be  required,  and  that  the  Association  should  have  no 
power  to  interfere  with  the  order,  doctrine  or  govern- 
ment of  the  church,  if  the  latter  was  governed  in  all 
these  matters  by  the  New  Testament.  Qyoting  the 
code  of  government  published  by  the  Association  in 
1825,  as  declaring  that  this  body  **  shall  have  no  power 
to  lord  it  over  God's  heritage,  neither  shall  it  have  any 
classical  power  or  infringe  upon  any  of  the  internal 
rights  of  the  churches,"  the  letter  of  the  church  goes 
on  to  say : 

"  We  understand  this  sentence  as  saying  that  the  Associa- 
tion has  no  power  to  determine  what  any  church  shall  re- 
ceive as  her  creed ;  or  whether  she  shall  have  any  creed  or 
confession  at  all  other  than  the  Bible ;  and,  consequently,  that 
she  has  no  power  so  to  lord  it  over  God's  heritage  as  to  con- 
demn any  church  for  holding  or  teaching  any  scriptural 
truths^  though  they  be  at  variance  with  the  opinions  of  this 
body  concerning  such  truths." 

To  the  basis  of  union  thus  defined  the  Concord  Asso- 
ciation had  sufiScient  liberality  to  agree,  thus  affording 
quite  a  contrast  to  the  proceedings  and  spirit  which 
about  the  same  time  caused,  as  already  mentioned,  the 
disruption  at  Redstone,  and  which  were  beginning  to  be 
more  or  less  manifest  in  other  Associations  in  dififerent 
parts  of  the  country. 

During  Mr.  Campbell's  sojourn  in  Nashville  his  wife's 
health  continued  to  fail,  and  she  became  fully  impressed 
with  the  conviction  that  she  would  not  recover.  She 
was  of  a  very  thoughtful  and  reflective  turn  of  mind, 
very  calm,  patient  and  resigned  to  the  Divine  will,  and 

15 


170        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

with  an  uncommon  tendency  to  look  at  every  event  in  a 
direct,  plain  and  practical  way.  Of  this  she  gave  her 
husband,  while  here,  a  singular  proof.  After  stating  to^ 
him  one  day  in  private  her  conviction  that  the  disease 
under  which  she  labored  could  not  be  cured,  she  went 
on  to  say  that  it  would  give  her  the  greatest  happiness 
to  be  assured,  in  case  he  should,  after  her  decease,  be 
disposed  to  marVy  again,  and  it  should  prove  in  accord- 
ance with  his  own  feelings,  that  he  would  take  her  dear 
friend  Miss  Bakewell  to  be  a  mother  to  her  children. 
Mr.  Campbell,  grieved  that  she  should  cherish  such 
forebodings  respecting  her  case,  sought  to  cheer  her 
with  hopes  of  recovery,  and  exerted  himself  to  the 
utmost  to  remove  all  melancholy  anticipations.  Finding 
him  thus  unwilling  to  share  in  those  convictions  of  a 
fatal  issue  which  she  calmly  entertained,  she  forbore 
at  this  time  to  urge  the  matter  farther.  It  was,  how- 
ever, soon  after  decided  that  it  would  be  best  to  return 
to  their  home  in  Virginia,  which  they  safely  reached  in 
March  (1827),  after  a  four  months'  absence. 

During  this  tour  Mr.  Campbell  delivered  many  dis- 
courses, and  gave  great  impetus  to  the  progress  of 
liberal  views  in  the  region  visited,  while  at  the  same 
time  he  kept  up  the  regular  issues  of  the  *' Christian 
Baptist."  It  was  his  custom  always,  before  leaving 
home  even  on  the  shortest  excursion,  to  send  on  all  the 
appointments  for  public  speaking  which  it  was  pos- 
sible for  him  to  fill,  so  that  he  had  always  before  him  a 
series  of  meetings,  and  addressed  the  public  somewhere, 
in  town  or  country,  in  houses  of  worship  or  in  private 
dwellings,  daily,  and  often  twice  a  day,  on  the  great 
themes  of  human  salvation  and  the  means  of  effecting 
a  universal  union  among  the  people  of  God.  To  these 
great  ends  his  life  was  consecrated,  and  to  them  all 


REAL   CAMPBELLITES.  171 

other  matters  were  viewed  as  subordinate  or  merely 
accessory.  The  opportunity  he  had  enjoyed  during  his 
recent  tour  of  seeing  more  and  more  of  the  condition  of 
religious  society  under  the  influence  of  modern  systems, 
had  but  the  more  stirred  his  zeal  for  the  introduction  of 
a  better  order  of  things.  Apart  from  his  religious  asso- 
ciations, he  had  also  hosts  of  friends  among  those  who 
made  no  profession  of  religion,  who  were  won  by  his 
genial  personal  qualities  and  greatly  admired  his  high 
intelligence  and  transcendent  abilities.  For  such  persons 
he  felt  ever  a  tender  solicitude,  and  sought  to  use  his 
influence  over  them  so  as  to  lead  them  to  Christ,  being 
well  aware  how  prone  men  are  to  substitute  personal 
esteem  for  a  religious  teacher,  or  an  intellectual  assent 
to  some  proposed  system  or  plan,  for  the  love  of  Christ 
and  the  obedience  of  the  gospel.  Hence,  in  retrospect- 
ing  his  tour,  he  said  : 

"  While  we  rejoice  in  the  assurance  of  meeting  many  of 
our  friends  in  that  blessed  state  where  there  is  no  more  sep- 
aration, it  must  be  acknowledged  that  there  are  some  per- 
sonally attached  to  us,  and  we  to  them,  from  various  reasons, 
concerning  whose  eternal  life  we  can  entertain  but  a  very 
slender  hope.  It  is  perhaps  natural,  but  so  it  is,  that  while 
we  exercise  benevolence  toward  all  mankind,  we  more 
ardently  desire  the  salvation  of  some  than  of  others.  Hence 
it  is  that  on  our  list  of  friends  there  are  some  of  whose  salva- 
tion we  are  not  always  sanguine,  yet  from  their  social  and 
merely  human  virtues,  we  feel  compelled,  with  more  than 
ordinary  zeal,  to  exclaim,  *  Would  to  God  that  they  were  not 
only  almost,  but  altogether  Christians !'  The  Saviour  once 
looked  upon  and  loved  a  young  man  of  extraordinary  virtue, 
who  with  a  sad  and  sorrowful  heart  bade  him  adieu.  .  .  . 
But  this  is  a  subject  on  which  we  can  neither  think  nor  write 
with  pleasure.  We  shall,  therefore,  dismiss  it  with  the  ex- 
pression of  a  wish  that  none  may  construe  attachments  or 


172         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

friendships,  based  on  considerations  merely  human,  into  an 
affectionate  regard  for  the  Saviour  and  his  disciples." 

The  remarkable  attractive  power  possessed  by  Mr. 
Campbell  reacted  upon  himself,  and  he  could  not  avoid 
feeling  a  peculiar  interest  in  those  who  sought  his  friend- 
ship, as  the  magnetized  iron  attracts  in  turn  the  magnet ; 
but  he  had  the  faculty  of  lifting  himself  above  all  at- 
tachments merely  temporal,  and  of  rendering  them  sub- 
sidiary to  the  higher  claims  of  a  spiritual  and  eternal 
union.  With  regard  to  the  Baptist  communities  which 
he  had  visited,  he  found  them,  to  his  regret,  greatly  de- 
ficient in  congregational  and  family  discipline,  and  ob- 
serving an  order  of  things  far  from  being  either  scrip- 
tural or  beneficial.  The  practice  of  having  but  one 
elder  or  preacher  for  four  churches ;  monthly  meetings ; 
sitting  in  judgment  on  "  Christian  experiences  ;"  specu- 
lative and  textuary  preaching,  and  the  introduction  of 
doctrinal  questions  even  into  psalms  and  hymns ;  the 
great  neglect  of  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  and  various 
similar  aberrations  from  the  teachings  of  the  Bible,  were 
noticed  and  lamented. 

During  the  previous  year,  Mr.  Campbell  had  bap- 
tized among  others  at  Wellsburg,  a  young  lad,  Cyrus 
McNeely,  a  son  of  Squire  McNeely,  of  Cadiz,  Ohio, 
who  was  a  Presbyterian,  but  of  somewhat  liberal  views, 
and  with  whom  he  used  to  stop  in  his  early  tours  through 
this  region.  For  a  year  after  his  baptism  young  Mr. 
McNeely  continued  to  attend  meeting  at  Wellsburg,  dis- 
tant some  twenty  miles,  and  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river.  James  Phillips  had  some  time  before  gathered 
together  a  few  members  at  Cadiz,  and  as  he  in  the 
spring  of  1827  removed  to  Steubenville,  Mr.  McNeely 
obtained  a  letter  from  Wellsburg,  and  united  with  the 
Cadiz  Church.     Being  possessed  of  ability  and  moral 


MAHONING  ASSOCIATION  173 

courage,  and  being  a  very  decided  and  earnest  advocate 
of  the  ancient  order  of  things,  he  at  once  induced  the 
church  to  commence  the  practicp  of  weekly  communion. 
This  innovation  upon  Baptist  customs  became  accord- 
ingly a  matter  of  complaint  at  the  meeting  of  the  Still- 
water Association,  which  was  held  at  Wills'  Creek,  near 
the  border  of  Guernsey  county.  Among  the  preachers 
present,  including  Elijah  Stone,  Sedgwick,  Pritchard, 
Headley,  Headington  and  others  of  Mr.  Campbell's 
old  opponents  in  Redstone,  there  was  but  one,  a  Welsh 
preacher,  Mr.  Lee,  who  was  in  favor  of  allowing  the 
practice.  As  the  lay  delegates  present,  however,  were 
in  favor  of  it,  they  outvoted  the  preachers,  and  the  op- 
position failed.  Thus,  the  people,  beginning  to  inquire 
for  themselves,  had  already  advanced  beyond  those 
who  assumed  to  be  their  spiritual  guides. 

On  his  way  with  John  Brown  to  the  Mahoning  meet- 
ing, which  was  to  take  place  at  New  Lisbon  on  the  23d 
of  August,  Mr.  Campbell  called  with  Walter  Scott  at 
Steubenville.  Mr.  Scott  had,  during  the  spring,  issued 
a  prospectus  for  a  monthly  paper,  to  be  called  the 
*'  Millennial  Herald"  and  to  be  devoted  to  the  exposition 
of  his  views  of  the  primitive  gospel  and  of  the  coming 
millennium,  in  which  latter  subject  he  had  become 
much  interested,  and  on  which  he  had  already  writ- 
ten several  articles  for  the  *'  Christian  Baptist."  Mr. 
Campbell  had  kindly  noticed  his  prospectus  in  his 
June  number,  and  as  he  had  obtained  some  subscribers, 
he  was,  at  the  time  of  Mr.  Campbell's  visit,  preparing 
to  have  the  first  number  printed.  After  considerable 
persuasion,  however,  he  agreed  to  accompany  the  latter 
to  the  meeting  of  the  Association. 

At  the  first  session,  Mr.  Scott,  with  Samuel  Holmes, 
W.  West  and  Sidney  Rigdon,  were  invited  as  usual  to 

15* 


174         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

take  seats  in  the  Association.  In  the  evening,  Sidney 
Rigdon  delivered  a  discourse  on  John  .viii.  On  the 
following  day,  the  first  item  of  business  to  be  considered 
was  a  request  sent  up  from  the  church  at  Braceville,  of 
which  Jacob  Osborne  was  elder,  as  follows:  *'We 
wish  that  the  Association  may  take  into  serious  con- 
sideration the  peculiar  situation  of  the  churches  of  this 
Association,  and  if  it  would  be  a  possible  thing  for  an 
evangelical  preacher  to  be  employed  to  travel  and  teach 
among  the  churches,  we  think  that  a  blessing  would 
follow."  Some  other  preachers,  J.  Merrill,  with  J. 
Secrest  and  Joseph  Gaston  of  the  Christian  party,  com- 
ing in,  were  invited  to  seats,  and  it  was  voted  '*  that  all 
the  teachers  of  Christianity  present  be  a  committee  to 
nominate  a  person  to  travel  and  labor  among  the 
churches,  and  to  suggest  a  plan  for  the  support  of  the 
person  so  employed."  It  was  also  voted  **that  a  cir- 
cular letter  be  written  on  the  subject  of  itinerant  preach- 
ing, for  the  next  Association,  by  A.  Campbell,"  and 
that  he  deliver  the  introductory  sermon  of  that  year, 
his  alternate  being  Jacob  Osborne,  who  at  this  time  was 
the  moderator  of  the  Association.  After  this,  the  com- 
mittee of  nomination  made  the  following  report : 

"  I.  That  Brother  Walter  Scott  is  a  suitable  person  for  the 
task,  and  that  he  is  willing,  provided  the  Association  concur 
in  his  appointment,  to  devote  his  whole  energies  to  the  work. 

*'  2.  That  voluntary  and  liberal  contributions  be  recom- 
mended to  the  churches,  to  raise  a  fund  for  his  support. 

"  3.  That,  at  the  discretion  of  Brother  Scott,  as  far  as  re- 
spects time  and  place,  four  quarterly  meetings  be  held  in  the 
bounds  of  this  Association  this  year  for  public  worship  and 
edification,  and  that  at  these  meetings  such  contributions  as 
have  been  made  in  the  churches  in  these  vicinities  be  handed 
over  to  Brother  Scott,  and  an  account  kept  of  the  same,  to  be 
produced  at  the  next  Association.     Also,  that  at  any  time  and 


I 


PROVIDENTIAL  ARRANGEMENTS. 


'75 


at  any  church  where  Brother  Scott  may  be  laboring,  any  con- 
tributions made  to  him  shall  be  accounted  for  in  the  next 
Association." 

This  report  being  adopted,  John  Secrest  delivered  a 
discourse  in  the  evening  from  John  iii.  Next  morning, 
being  the  Lord's  day,  the  Association  met  at  sunrise  in 
the  Baptist  meeting-house  for  prayer.  At  ii  o'clock, 
A.  M.,  Jacob  Osborne  delivered  a  discourse  in  the  Pres- 
byterian meeting-house,  based  on  first  chapter  of  He- 
brews. He  was  followed  by  Mr.  Campbell  in  a  sermon 
from  the  close  of  the  seventh  and  the  twenty-fifth  chap- 
ters of  Matthew.  A  collection,  amounting  to  $11.75, 
was  then  taken  up  as  a  commencement  in  accordance 
with  the  report  of  the  committee,  and  a  recess  being 
taken  to  immerse  some  who  had  come  forward,  the 
brethren  afterward  assembled  in  the  Baptist  meeting- 
house to  break  the  loaf,  after  which  they  dispersed, 
**  much  edified,"  as  the  minutes  state,  and  **  comforted 
by  the  exercises  of  the  day." 

Such  are  the  brief  records  of  a  meeting  which  proved 
to  be  prolific  of  important  consequences,  not  at  all  fore- 
seen by  those  whc^  were  the  actors  in  it.  The  unex- 
pected request  from  the  Braceville  Church ;  the  unusual 
course  of  the  Association  in  appointing  an  itinerant 
preacher ;  the  accidental  presence  of  Walter  Scott ;  his 
willingness  to  engage  in  the  work ;  the  attendance  and 
co-operation  of  prominent  preachers  from  a  religious 
denomination  known  as  ''Christians,"  who  were  now 
making  many  converts  among  the  people, — the  whole 
peculiar  combination  of  circumstances,  indeed,  was 
such  as  Providence  alone  could  have  arranged  for  the 
accomplishment  of  a  great  design. 

Mr.  Campbell  was  delighted  that  one  in  whom  he 
had  so  much  confidence,  and  who  was,  he  thought,  so 


176  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

well  fitted  to  promote  the  public  interests  of  the  Refor- 
mation, as  Walter  Scott,  had  so  readily  consented  to 
enter  into  active  service.  He,  in  turn,  overcoming  the 
timidity  and  irresolution  of  his  own  nature,  and  over- 
ruled by  the  steadier  purpose  and  bolder  enterprise  of 
Mr.  Campbell,  threw  off  at  once  all  his  entanglements, 
gave  up  his  paper,  dissolved  his  academy,  and  taking 
leave  of  his  family,  at  once  devoted  himself  to  a  laborious 
and  active  public  ministry,  in  which  he  soon  began  to 
develop  those  latent  powers  which  the  quick  perception 
of  Mr.  Campbell  had  long  since  noticed  and  admired. 

During  the  fall  months,  Mrs.  Campbell's  disease, 
which  in  the  summer  had  seemed  slightly  alleviated, 
began  rapidly  to  increase,  and  it  soon  became  apparent 
that  recovery  was  hopeless.  Of  this  she  had  herself 
long  been  convinced,  and  looked  forward  to  the  time  of 
her  release  with  the  utmost  composure.  Her  chief  de- 
sire seemed  to  be  that  she  might  first  see  her  youngest 
daughter,  Clarinda,  able  to  read  the  New  Testament. 
One  day,  when  Miss  Counselman  called  in  to  see  her, 
she  found  her  listening  to  her  little  daughter,  now  six 
years  old,  reading  to  her  out  of  the  sacred  volume,  upon 
which  occasion  she  remarked  that  the  Lord  had  granted 
her  desire,  and  that  she  was  fully  ready  to  depart.  A 
few  days  before  her  death  she  took  the  opportunity,  when 
Mr.  Campbell  was  alone  with  her  watching  by  her  bed- 
side, to  renew  the  subject  of  his  future  marriage,  and  to 
express  to  him  again  her  earnest  wish  that,  as  her  de- 
parture was  now  nigh  at  hand,  he  would,  should  he  con- 
clude to  marry  again  and  it  should  prove  in  harmony 
with  his  own  feelings,  choose  her  beloved  friend,  Miss 
Bakewell.  Deeply  moved  and  unable  any  longer  to 
cherish  the  hope  that  she  might  be  spared  to  him,  Mr, 
Campbell  could  not  withhold  his  assent,  and  his  acqui- 


MATERNAL   SOLICITUDE, 


177 


escence  in  her  wishes  gave  her  the  utmost  happiness! 
This  was  on  Tuesday.  The  next  day,  Mr.  Campbell 
was  requested  to  go  to  Mr.  Gist's,  about  one  and  a  half 
miles  distant,  to  unite  a  daughter  of  the  latter  in  mar- 
riage with  John  Encell.  He  did  not  like  to  leave  his 
suffering  wife,  but  she  herself  urged  him  to  go,  and  he 
finally  consented,  coming  back  immediately  after  the 
ceremony.  Miss  Bakewell  had  come  out  to  attend  the 
wedding,  and  came  down  afterward  in  company  with 
Mary  Encell  to  see  Mrs.  Campbell.  All  unconscious 
of  what  had  occurred  in  relation  to  herself,  she  spent 
most  of  the  day  in  singing  hymns  for  Mrs.  Campbell, 
in  which  the  latter  took  great  delight,  especially  in  the 
one  beginning, 

"  We  sing  the  Saviour's  wondrous  death  : 
He  conquered  when  he  fell." 

In  the  evening  Miss  Bakewell  was  compelled  to  return 
to  Wellsburg,  and  Mrs.  Campbell  died  on  the  following 
Monday,  October  22d.  Shortly  before  her  death,  she 
assembled  her  five  remaining  daughters  around  her 
bed,  and  made  to  them  an  address  expressive  of  her 
hopes  and  wishes  in  regard  to  their  future  course  in  life. 
After  speaking  of  her  gratification  in  knowing  that  they 
could  all  now  read  the  Scriptures,  she  thus  continued : 

"  The  happiest  circumstance  in  all  my  life  I  consider  to  be 
that  which  gave  me  a  taste  for  reading  and  a  desire  for  under- 
standing the  New  Testament.  This  I  have  considered,  and 
do  now  consider,  to  be  one  of  the  greatest  blessings  which  has 
resulted  to  me  from  my  acquaintance  with  your  father.  Al- 
though I  have  had  a  religious  education  from  my  father,  and 
was  early  taught  the  necessity  and  importance  of  religion,  yet 
it  was  not  until  I  became  acquainted  with  the  contents  of  this 
book,  which  you  have  seen  me  so  often  read,  that  I  came  to 
understand  the  character  of  God,  and  to  enjoy  a  firm  and 

VOL.  II. — M 


178 


MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 


unbounded  confidence  in  all  his  promises.  ...  I  say  to  you, 
then,  with  all  the  affection  of  a  mother,  and  now  about  to 
leave  you,  I  entreat  you,  as  you  love  me  and  your  own  lives, 
study  and  meditate  u]x>n  the  words  and  actions  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Remember  how  kindly  he  has  sp>oken  to  and 
of  little  children,  and  that  there  is  no  good  thing  which  he 
will  withhold  from  them  who  love  him  and  walk  uprightly. 

"  With  regard  to  your  father,  I  need  only,  I  trust,  tell  you 
that  in  obeying  him  you  obey  God,  for  God  has  commanded 
you  to  honor  him,  and  in  honoring  your  father  you  honor  Him 
that  bade  you  do  so.  It  is  my  greatest  joy  in  leaving  you  that 
I  leave  you  under  the  care  of  one  who  can  instruct  you  in  all  the 
concerns  of  life,  and  who,  I  know,  will  teach  you  to  choose  the 
good  part  and  to  place  your  affections  upon  the  only  object  su- 
premely worthy  of  them.  Consider  him  as  your  best  earthly 
friend,  and,  next  to  your  heavenly  Father,  your  wisest  and  most 
competent  instructor,  guardian  and  guide.  While  he  is  over 
you,  or  you  under  him,  never  commence  nor  undertake  nor 
prosecute  any  important  object  without  advising  with  him. 
Make  him  your  counselor,  and  still  remember  the  first  com- 
mandment with  a  promise. 

"  As  to  your  conversation  with  one  another,  when  it  is  not 
upon  the  ordinary  duties  of  life,  let  it  be  on  subjects  of  import- 
ance, improving  to  your  minds.  I  beseech  you  to  avoid  that 
light,  foolish  and  vain  conversation  about  dress  and  fashion 
so  common  among  females.  Neither  let  the  subject  of  af>- 
parel  fill  your  hearts  nor  dwell  upon  your  tongues.  You 
never  heard  me  do  so.  Let  your  apparel  be  sober,  clean  and 
modest,  but  everything  vain  and  fantastic  avoid.  ...  I 
have  oflen  told  you,  and  instanced  to  you,  when  in  health, 
the  vain  pursuits  and  unprofitable  vanities  of  some  females 
who  have  spent  the  prime  and  vigor  of  their  lives  in  the  ser- 
vile pursuits  of  fashion,  .  .  .  and  what  and  where  are  they 
now  ?  Let  these  be  as  beacons  to  you.  I  therefore  entreat  you 
neither  to  think,  nor  talk  of,  nor  pursue  these  subjects.  Strive 
only  to  approve  yourselves  to  God,  and  to  commend  your- 
selves to  the  discerning,  the  intelligent,  the  pious.     Seek  their 


MARITAL    TRIBUTE.  179 

society,  consult  their  taste  and  make  yourselves  worthy  of 
their  esteem. 

"  But  there  is  one  thing  which  is  necessary  to  all  goodness, 
which  is  essential  to  all  virtue,  godliness  and  happiness ;  I 
mean  necessary  to  the  daily  and  constant  exhibition  of  every 
Christian  accomplishment,  and  that  is  to  keep  in  mind  the 
words  that  Hagar  uttered  in  her  solitude :  '  Thou  God  seest 
me,*  You  must  know  and  feel,  my  dear  children,  that  my 
affection  for  you,  and  my  desires  for  your  present  and  future 
happiness,  cannot  be  surpassed  by  any  human  being.  The 
God  that  made  me  your  mother  has,  with  his  own  finger, 
planted  this  in  my  breast,  and  his  Holy  Spirit  has  written  it 
upon  my  heart.  Love  you  I  must,  feel  for  you  I  must,  and  I 
once  more  say  unto  you,  remember  these  words,  and  not  the 
words  only,  but  the  truth  contained  in  them  :  '  Thou  God  seest 
me,*  This  will  be  a  guard  against  a  thousand  follies  and 
against  every  temptation.  .  .  . 

"  I  cannot  speak  to  you  much  more  upon  this  subject.  I 
have  already,  and  upon  various  occasions,  suggested  to  you 
other  instructions,  which  I  need  not,  as  indeed  I  cannot,  now 
repeat.  .  .  .  That  we  may  all  meet  together  in  the  heavenly 
kingdom  is  my  last  prayer  for  you,  and,  as  you  desire  it,  re- 
member the  words  of  Him  who  is  the  ivay^  the  truth  and  the 

life:' 

Such  were  the  last  words  and  some  of  the  tender  ap- 
peals of  this  address,  which  Mr.  Campbell  subsequently 
published  entire  in  the  *' Christian  Baptist,"  and  which 
strikingly  exhibits  the  calm  resignation,  the  pious 
yearnings  and  the  confiding,  earnest  trust  of  this  Chris- 
tian mother  and  faithful  wife,  of  whom  in  her  obituary 
notice  her  husband  bore  this  testimony : 

"  The  deceased  was  a  Christian  in  profession  and  practice, 
and  did  in  her  life  and  deportment  for  many  years  recommend 
the  excellency  of  the  Christian  profession  to  all  her  acquaint- 
ance ;  and  during  her  long  illness,  and  in  her  death,  she  did 
exhibit  to  her  numerous  connexions  and  friends  how  tran- 


l8o        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

quilly  and  cheerfully  a  Christian  can  meet  death  and  resign 
the  spirit  into  the  hands  of  a  gracious  and  divine  Redeemer. 
'  I  die/  she  said, '  without  an  anxiety  about  anything  upon  the 
earth,  having  committed  all  that  interests  me  into  the  hands 
of  my  faithful  and  gracious  heavenly  Father,  and  in  the  con- 
fident expectation  of  a  glorious  resurrection  when  the  Lord 
Jesus  appears  unto  the  salvation  of  all  who  trust  in  him.' " 

It  was  evident  to  all  that  Mr.  Campbell  felt  his  be- 
reavement most  deeply.  Forbidden,  however,  to  sor- 
row as  those  without  hope,  possessed  of  remarkable 
control  over  his  emotional  nature,  and  prompted  to 
cheerful  activities  by  an  innate  unflagging  energy,  his 
sadness,  chastened  by  Christian  resignation,  was  re- 
served and  silent,  betraying  itself  only  at  times  in  the 
quiet  moments  of  confidential  intercourse,  in  the  sub- 
dued spirit  which  marked  his  subsequent  essays,  and  in 
the  character  of  the  brief  extracts  which  he  occasion- 
ally placed  in  the  *'  Christian  Baptist,"  as  *'  The  Dying 
Mother,"  from  Pollock's  Course  of  Time,  and  the  beau- 
tiful passage  from  Irving  upon  ''  Sorrow  for  the  Dead" 
— **  the  only  sorrow  from  which  we  refuse  to  be  di- 
vorced." 

Having  been  much  dissatisfied  with  the  character  of 
many  of  the  psalms  and  hymns  in  general  use,  whose 
sentiments  he  thought  were  not  in  accordance  with  the 
New  Testament,  Mr.  Campbell  was  at  this  time  en- 
gaged in  preparing  a  hymn-book  from  which  unscrip- 
tural  sentiments  were  to  be  excluded,  and  which  he 
hoped  to  render  acceptable  to  the  now  numerous  friends 
of  the  Reformation.  This  volume,  published  in  May, 
1828,  contained  only  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  pieces, 
together  with  a  treatise  on  Psalmody  as  a  preface  and 
an  essay  on  prayer  at  the  close,  making  in  all  two  hun- 
dred pages.     In  addition  to  his  other  business,  he  was 


WALTER  SCOTT. 


l8l 


now  acting  as  postmaster.  Having  found  it  inconve- 
nient to  send  his  letters  and  publications  to  West  Lib- 
erty office,  distant  four  miles,  he  had  induced  the  post- 
office  department  to  establish  a  post-office  at  his  own 
residence,  which  was  thenceforth  denominated  Beth- 
any, there  being  a  post-town  called  "  Buffalo"  in  Mason 
county.  This  was  highly  advantageous  to  him  in  many 
respects.  Being  appointed  postmaster,  he  enjoyed  the 
franking  privilege,  and  was  enabled  greatly  to  extend 
his  correspondence.  As  he  was  much  occupied,  how- 
ever, and  often  absent  from  home,  he  was  under  the 
necessity  of  employing  constantly  a  deputy  to  attend  to 
the  business  of  the  office,  which  he  continued  to  retain 
at  his  own  pleasure  for  thirty  years,  through  all  the 
different  administrations  and  political  changes  in  the 
government. 

Meanwhile,  upon  the  Western  Reserve,  the  Reform- 
ation had  received  an  extraordinary  impetus.  Placed 
at  length  in  a  field  where  his  religious  aspirations  and 
fertile  genius  had  room  for  development,  Walter  Scott 
had  entered  upon  his  labors  with  a  fervid  zeal  which 
silenced  timid  counsels  and  disregarded  conventional 
impediments.  He  was  then  in  the  full  vigor  of  life, 
being  nearly  thirty-one  years  of  age,  having  been  born 
in  December,  1796,  in  the  town  of  Moffat,  and  his 
preparation  for  the  work  before  him  had  been  ample. 
Educated  at  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  he  had 
largely  added  to  his  literary  acquirements  by  assiduous 
devotion  to  study  and  self-culture  while  engaged  in 
teaching  during  the  ten  years  preceding  his  appoint- 
ment as  evangelist.  Much  more  had  he  accumulated 
vast  stores  of  accurate  Scripture  knowledge  and  en- 
larged religious  observation  and  experience.  His 
memory  was  thoroughly  furnished  with  the  word  of 

16 


1 82        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 


God ;  his  faith  and  love  had  culminated  in  an  affection- 
ate personal  attachment  to  the  Redeemer,  who  was 
ever  present  to  his  thoughts,  and  his  imagination  had 
been  fired  by  the  glorious  hopes  and  promises  of  the 
gospel,  whfch  he  ardently  longed  to  see  triumphant,  in 
its  primitive  purity,  over  the  errors  and  corruptions  of 
the  time.  Having  an  agreeable  musical  voice  and 
graceful  manner,  a  lively  fancy  replete  with  classical 
and  sacred  imagery  and  abounding  in  striking  illustra- 
tions, he  possessed  many  of  the  qualities  of  the  suc- 
cessful orator.  At  the  same  time,  his  genius  for  analy- 
sis and  classification,  and  his  thorough  insight  into  the 
nature  of  the  Christian  institution,  enabled  him  to  pre- 
sent its  great  and  stirring  themes  with  a  force  and  clear- 
ness seldom  equaled.  The  circumstances,  too,  around 
him  were  propitious.  The  churches  had  already  been, 
in  a  good  measure,  liberated  from  the  usages  and  opin- 
ions of  the  regular  Baptists,  and  prepared  to  receive 
the  simple  teachings  of  the  Scriptures.  There  was  no 
longer  that  stagnation  of  religious  thought  which  cha- 
racterizes a  sect.  There  had  been  for  some  years  a 
spirit  of  religious  inquiry,  and,  with  many,  a  diligent 
searching  of  the  Scriptures,  which  had  created  a  long- 
ing for  a  greater  conformity  to  the  primitive  standard- 
There  was,  in  consequence,  a  considerable  increase  oi 
knowledge  and  a  corresponding  growth  of  liberality  of 
sentiment,  which  had  extended  far  beyond  the  Baptist 
community,  and  rendered  the  people  of  this  whole  re- 
gion more  favorable  to  religious  investigation.  Other 
religious  movements,  too,  had  been  for  some  time 
operating  to  weaken  the  power  of  sectarianism  and  to 
restore  the  Bible  to  its  proper  position.  Prominent 
among  these,  was  one  in  many  respects  nearly  allied  to 
the  Reformation  advocated  by  Mr.  Campbell,  and  which 


CHRISTIAN  CONNECTION. 


183 


was  at  this  time  making  great  progress  in  Ohio,  under 
the  labors  of  several  popular  preachers.  Two  of  these, 
as  already  mentioned,  John  Secrest  and  Joseph  Gaston, 
had  attended  the  late  meeting  of  the  Mahoning  Asso- 
ciation, participating  in  its  exercises  and  in  the  ap- 
pointment of  Walter  Scott,  and  sympathizing  in  the 
principles  of  the  Reformation.  The  religious  body  to 
which  they  belonged,  had  an  earlier  origin  than  that 
which  sprung  from  Mr.  Campbell's  labors ;  but  as  this 
was  the  first  occasion  on  which  the  reformers  came 
fairly  into  contact  with  the  "Christian  Connection,"  it 
will  be  proper  here  to  notice  the  chief  points  in  its 
history.  • 


tion  "— B.  W.  Stone— Religious  ei- 
Guton— Office  of  baptism  restored 
fospel. 

the  gospel  to  every  crea- 
3  adapted  to  the  compre- 
ss the  great  mass  of  man- 
prehending  abstruse  and 
tnitive  gospel  must  have 
tremely  simple  in  its  state- 
;.  Moreover,  as  this  gos- 
save  mankind  and  restore 
ship  of  God,  it  must  have 
fitted  to  bring  them  into 
:h  other.  When  men  sub- 
:  dogmas  of  theology  for 
d  when  these,  elaborated 
n  of  authoritative  creeds, 
ating  division  and  aliena- 
le,  mistaking  these  systems 
nee  it  as  false  and  injurious 
loved  the  truth  should  re- 
se  divisive  standards  and 
T nations  by  which  religious 
tantly  maintained.  While 
one  hand,  been  the  fruitful 
I  the  other,  provoked  those 
lence  to  seek  its  overthrow, 


REPUBLICAN  METHODISTS. 


185 


and  to  endeavor  to  restore  to  the  world  the  simple  gos- 
pel as  it  was  preached  in  the  beginning,  and  presented 
upon  the  faithful  page  of  inspiration. 

The  close  of  the  eighteenth  and  the  early  p^rt  of  the 
present  century  were  remarkably  characterized  by  efforts 
of  this  kind,  originating  almost  simultaneously  in  widely- 
separated  regions  and  amidst  different  and  antagonistic 
sects.  The  one  with  which  the  Reformers  were  now 
brought  into  communication  on  the  Western  Reserve  was 
itself  a  combination  of  several  distinct  and  independent 
attempts  at  the  much-desired  reformation  of  religious 
society.  One  of  these  originated  among  the  Methodists 
when  the  establishment  of  American  independence  had 
released  them  from  all  foreign  control  and  the  subject 
of  church  government  became  necessarily  a  matter  of 
discussion  among  them.  Thomas  Coke,  Francis  Asbury 
and  others  labored  to  establish  prelacy,  being  them- 
selves regarded  as  *'  superintendents"  or  bishops.  On 
the  other  hand,  James  O'Kelly,  of  North  Carolina,  and 
some  other  preachers  of  that  State  and  of  Virginia,  with 
a  number  of  members,  pleaded  for  a  congregational  sys- 
tem, and  that  the  New  Testament  should  be  the  only 
creed  and  discipline.  As  the  episcopal  party,  however, 
were  largely  in  the  ascendant,  these  Reformers  were 
unable  to  accomplish  their  wishes,  and  finally  seceded 
at  Manakin  Town,  North  Carolina,  December  25, 1793. 
At  first  they  took  the  name  of  *'  Republican  Methodists," 
but,  at  a  conference  subsequently  held,  resolved  to  be 
known  as  Christians  only,  to  acknowledge  no  head 
over  the  Church  but  Christ,  and  to  have  no  creed  or  dis- 
cipline but  the  Bible.  The  success  of  this  movement 
in  the  South,  as  it  respects  increase  of  numbers,  was 
not  great,  and  it  was  after  a  time  weakened  by  changes 
and  removals,  but  its  principles  were  still  maintained 


1 86        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL. 

by   certain    churches    and   a   good    many   individuals 
throughout  this  region. 

Not  k)ng  afterward,  a  physician  of  Hartland,  Ver- 
mont— Abner  Jones,  then  a  member  of  a  Baptist  church 
— becoming  greatly  dissatisfied  with  sectarian  names 
and  creeds,  began  to  urge  that  all  these  should  be 
abolished,  and  that  true  piety  alone  should  be  made  the 
ground  of  Christian  fellowship.  In  September,  1800, 
he  succeeded,  by  persevering  zeal,  in  establishing  a 
church  of  twenty-five  members  at  Lyndon,  Vermont, 
and  subsequently  one  in  Bradford  and  one  in  Pierpont, 
New  Hampshire,  in  March,  1803.  A  Baptist  preacher, 
named  Elias  Smith,  who  was  about  this  time  laboring 
with  great  success  in  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  now 
adopted  Dr.  Jones'  views  and  carried  his  church  along 
with  him.  Several  other  ministers,  both  from  the  Reg- 
ular and  the  Freewill  Baptists,  soon  after  followed,  and 
with  other  zealous  preachers,  who  were  raised  up  in  the 
newly-organized  churches,  traveled  extensively  and 
made  many  converts  in  the  New  England  States,  as 
well  as  in  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio  and  the 
British  Provinces.  Those  concerned  in  this  movement 
also  assumed  the  title  oi^*' Christians'^  and  adopted  the 
Bible  as  the  only  standard  of  faith  and  practice. 

About  the  same  period,  a  third  movement  of  a  similar 
character  originated  in  Kentucky,  under  the  influence 
of  a  Presbyterian  preacher.  Barton  Warren  Stone,  who, 
on  his  own  account  no  less  than  from  his  subsequent 
connection  with  the  subject  of  these  memoirs,  deserves  a 
more  extended  notice.  He  was  a  native  of  Maryland, 
born  December  24,  1772.  His  father  dying  not  long 
after,  the  family  removed  in  1779  to  Pittsylvania 
county,  Virginia,  where  he  remained  until  about  six- 
teen years  of  age.     Being  fond  of  learning,  he  made 


I 


BARTON'  WARREN  STONE, 


187 


great  proficiency  in  the  school  to  which  he  had  access, 
and  speedily  mastered  the  ordinary  branches  of  an 
English  education.  After  the  Revolutionary  war,  the 
Baptists,  and  then  the  Methodists,  created  great  religious 
excitement  in  the  neighborhood,  and  he  became  greatly 
impressed  and  agitated  in  relation  to  religion.  Vacil- 
lating between  the  two  parties,  and  not  knowing  what 
course  to  pursue,  his  religious  impressions  soon  wore 
off,  and  having  determined  to  obtain  a  liberal  education 
with  a  view  of  engaging  in  the  legal  profession,  he 
entered,  in  1790,  a  noted  academy  in  Guilford,  North 
Carolina,  under  the  care  of  Dr.  D.  Caldwell.  Here  he 
found  great  religious  excitement  existing  under  the 
ministrations  of  James  McGready ,  an  earnest  and  popular 
Presbyterian  preacher.  Although  the  subject  of  religion 
had  now  become  distasteful  to  him,  he,  after  some  time, 
consented  to  accompany  his  room-mate  to  hear  Mr. 
McGready,  upon  which  all  his  religious  feelings  revived 
with  tenfold  force,  and  for  a  whole  year  he  was,  as  he 
states,  **  tossed  on  the  waves  of  uncertainty,  laboring, 
praying  and  striving  to  obtain  saving  faith — sometimes 
desponding  and  almost  despairing  of  ever  getting  it." 
After  a  long  struggle,  he  at  length  obtained  peace  of 
mind  in  a  retired  wood,  to  which  he  had  resorted  with 
his  Bible,  after  hearing  a  touching  discourse  from  William 
Hodge  on  the  text,  *'  God  is  love." 

After  completing  his  course  of  studies  amidst  pecu- 
niary difficulties,  he  experienced  a  great  desire  to  preach 
the  gospel,  but  was  again  involved  in  disquietude  and 
doubt  in  relation  to  his  being  divinely  called  and  sent. 
Assured  by  his  friend.  Dr.  Caldwell,  that  a  hearty  de- 
sire to  glorify  God  and  save  sinners  was  a  sufficient 
encouragement  to  make  the  trial,  he  became  a  candi- 
date for  the  ministry  in  the  Orange  Presbytery,  and 


i88 


MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 


placed  himself  under  the  direction  of  William  Hodge, 
of  Orange  county,  North  Carolina.  Here  *<Witsius 
on  the  Trinity" — a  doctrine  to  which  he  had  as  yet  paid 
little  attention — was  placed  in  his  hands,  and  threw  his 
mind  into  a  state  of  great  perplexity,  so  that  he  began 
to  think  of  relinquishing  entirely  the  study  of  theology- 
Finding  some  relief,  however,  after  reading  Dr.  Watts' 
views  on  this  subject,  he  appeared  before  the  Presbytery 
and  was  examined  by  the  Rev.  Henry  Patillo,  a  learned 
and  estimable  Scotchman,  now  advanced  in  years. 
Before  the  next  session  of  the  Presbytery,  however, 
when  he  was  to  receive  license,  he  fell  again  into  a 
depressed  state,  partly  owing  to  pecuniary  embarass- 
ments,  but  more  to  the  conflicting  and  abstruse  doctrines 
of  the  theology  with  which  he  had  been  occupied. 
Concluding  finally  to  give  up  the  idea  of  preaching,  he 
set  out  for  Georgia  to  engage  in  some  other  pursuit. 
Here,  through  the  influence  of  his  brothers,  who  lived 
in  Oglethorpe  county,  he  was  appointed  professor  of 
languages  in  an*  academy  near  Washington,  where  he 
taught  with  great  acceptance  until  the  spring  of  1796. 
Being  now  provided  with  means  to  pay  his  debts  and 
his  desire  to  preach  having  revived,  he  resigned  his 
position  and  attended  the  meeting  of  the  Orange  Pres- 
bytery, where  he  received  license,  the  venerable  old 
father  who  addressed  the  candidates  presenting  to  each, 
not  the  Confession  of  Faith,  but  the  Bible,  with  the 
solemn  charge,  •*  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature." 

Such,  however,  was  his  sense  of  the  responsibility 
of  the  ministerial  office  and  of  his  own  insufficiency, 
that  during  his  early  efforts  at  preaching  he  became 
again  so  much  discouraged  as  to  think  of  abandoning 
the  field ;  but  being  advised  to  go  to  the  West,  he  at 


THEOLOGICAL  PERPLEXITIES. 


189 


length  made  his  way,  through  many  dangers  and  trials, 
to  the  then  small  village  of  Nashville,  being  much 
encouraged  by  the  result  of  his  efforts  in  preaching  at 
various  points  along  the  route.  Afterward  he  visited 
Kentucky  on  a  preaching  tour,  and  remaining  some 
time  at  Caneridge  and  Concord,  in  Bourbon  county,  his 
labors  were  so  acceptable  to  the  churches  there  that 
he  was  invited  to  become  a  regular  pastor.  Before 
doing  this,  having  to  visit  Georgia  to  settle  some  busi- 
ness, he  was  appointed  by  the  Transylvania  Presbytery 
to  visit  Charleston,  in  South  Carolina,  in  order  to  solicit 
funds  to  establish  a  college  in  Kentucky.  It  was  during 
this  trip  that  he  became  wholly  adverse  to  the  institution 
of  slavery,  from  witnessing  its  results  as  he  had  never 
seen  them  before.  From  this  time,  he  constantly  used 
his  influence  in  favor  of  every  plan  likely  to  ameliorate 
or  change  the» condition  of  the  African  race,  and  inher- 
iting subsequently  some  slaves  belonging  to  his  mother's 
estate,  in  place  of  which  he  could  have  received  money, 
he  brought  them  out  to  Kentucky  and  set  them  free. 

Previous  to  his  ordination,  as  he  knew  he  would  be 
required  to  adopt  the  Westminster  Confession  as  the 
system  of  doctrine  taught  in  the  Bible,  he  determined 
to  give  it  once  more  a  thorough  examination.  This  re- 
vived all  his  old  perplexities  in  reference  to  the  Trinity, 
election,  reprobation,  etc.,  as  taught  in  the  standard. 
These  difficulties  he  had  for  a  considerable  time  man- 
aged to  evade  by  considering  the  above  subjects  as  un- 
fathomable mysteries,  and  by  dwelling  almost  wholly 
upon  the  practical  duties  of  religion.  But  now,  upon 
re-examination,  he  found  them  to  be  essential  parts  of 
the  system  he  would  be  required  to  teach.  He,  there- 
fore, with  that  candor  which  was  a  marked  feature  of 
his  character,  determined  to  tell  the  Presbytery  the 


190        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

State  of  his  mind  and  request  a  delay  until  he  could  be 
better  satisfied.  Before  the  Presbytery  was  constituted, 
he  took  Dr.  James  Blythe  and  Robert  Marshall,  two  of 
the  chief  ministers,  aside  and  made  known  to  them  his 
difl[iculties.  These  they  endeavored  in  vain  to  remove, 
and  finally  inquired  how  far  he  was  willing  to  receive 
the  Confession.  He  replied,  '*  As  far  as  it  is  consistent 
with  the  word  of  God."  They  concluded  this  was  suffi- 
cient, and  this  therefore  was  the  answer  distinctly  given 
by  Mr.  Stone  to  the  question,  <*  Do  you  receive  and 
adopt  the  Confession  of  Faith  as  containing  the  system 
of  doctrine  taught  in  the  Bible?"  No  objection  being 
oflfered  by  any  one,  he  was  then  ordained. 

The  account  of  his  subsequent  mental  trials  which 
he  gives  in  his  autobiography,  from  which  the  above 
facts  are  taken,  is  strikingly  graphic  and  exhibits  the 
natural  results  of  theological  speculations  upon  a  heart 
yearning  for  truth. 

"About  this  time,"  says  he,  "my  mind  was  continually 
tossed  on  the  waves  of  speculative  divinity,  the  all-engp-ossing 
theme  of  the  religious  community  at  that  period.  Clashing, 
controversial  theories  were  urged  by  the  different  sects  with 
much  zeal  and  bad  feeling.  No  surer  sign  of  the  low  state 
of  true  religion.  I  at  that  time  believed  and  taught  that 
mankind  were  so  totally  depraved  that  they  could  do  nothing 
acceptable  to  God  till  his  Spirit,  by  some  physical,  almighty 
and  mysterious  power,  had  quickened,  enlightened  and  re- 
generated the  heart,  and  thus  prepared  the  sinner  to  believe 
in  Jesus  for  salvation.  I  began  plainly  to  see  that  if  God 
did  not  perform  this  regenerating  work  in  all,  it  must  be  be- 
cause he  chose  to  do  it  for  some  and  not  for  others,  and  that 
this  depended  upon  his  own  sovereign  will  and  pleasure.  It 
then  required  no  depth  of  intellect  to  see  that  this  doctrine  is 
inseparably  linked  with  unconditional  election  and  reproba- 
tion, as  taught  in  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith.    They 


/ 


CAUSE   OF  UNBELIEF. 


191 


are  virtually  one,  and  this  was  the  reason  why  I  admitted  the 
decrees  of  election  and  reprobation,  having  admitted  the  doc- 
trine of  total  depravity.  They  are  inseparable.  Scores  of 
objections  would  continually  roll  across  my  mind  against  this 
system.  These  I  imputed  to  the  blasphemous  suggestions  of 
Satan,  and  labored  to  repel  them  as  satanic  temptations  and 
not  honestly  to  meet  them  with  Scripture  arguments.  Often 
when  I  was  addressing  the  listening  multitudes  on  the  doc- 
trine of  total  depravity,  on  their  inability  to  believe  and  on  the 
physical  power  of  God  to  produce  faith,  and  then  persuading 
the  helpless  to  repent  and  believe  the  gospel,  my  zeal  in  a 
moment  would  be  chilled  by  the  contradiction.  How  can 
they  believe?  How  can  they  repent?  How  can  they  do 
impossibilities?  How  can  they  be  guilty  in  not  doing  them ? 
Such  thoughts  would  almost  stifle  utterance,  and  were  as 
mountains  pressing  me  down  to  the  shades  of  death.  I  tried 
to  rest  in  the  common  salvo  of  that  day — /.  ^.,  the  distinction 
between  natural  and  moral  ability  and  inability.  The  pulpits 
were  continually  ringing  with  this  doctrine ;  but  to  my  mind 
it  ceased  to  be  a  relief;  for  by  whatever  name  it  be  called, 
the  inability  was  in  the  sinner,  and  therefore  he  could  not  be- 
lieve nor  repent,  but  must  be  damned.  Wearied  with  the 
works  and  doctrines  of  men  and  distrustful  of  their  influence, 
I  made  the  Bible  my  constant  companion.  I  honestly,  earn- 
esdy  and  prayerfully  sought  for  the  truth,  determined  to  buy 
it  at  the  sacrifice  of  everything  else.  .  .  . 

"  From  this  state  of  perplexity  I  was  relieved  by  the  precious 
word  of  God.  From  reading  and  meditating  upon  it,  I  be- 
came convinced  that  God  did  love  the  whole  world,  and  that 
the  reason  why  he  did  not  save  all  was  because  of  their  un- 
belief, and  that  the  reason  why  they  believed  not  was  not 
because  God  did  not  exert  his  physical  almighty  power  in 
them  to  make  them  believe,  but  because  they  neglected  and 
received  not  his  testimony  given  in  the  Word  concerning  his 
Son :  '  These  are  written  that  ye  might  believe  that  Jesus  is 
the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  believing  ye  might  have 
life  through  his  name.'     I  saw  that  the  requirement  to  be- 


193        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CA 

lieve  in  the  Son  of  God  was  reasonable,  1 
mony  given  was  sufficient  to  produce  faith 
the  invitations  and  encouragement  of  the  ] 
cient,  if  believed,  to  lead  him  to  tlie  Savioui 
Spirit,  salvation  and  eternal  life. 

"  This  glimpse  of  faith,  of  truth,  was  th 
of  light  that  ever  led  my  distressed,  perplex 
labyrinth  of  Calvinism  and  error  in  which  I 
bewildered.  ■  .  . 

"  Let  me  here  speak  when  I  shall  be  lyin 
of  the  grave.  Calvinism  is  among  tlie  I 
Christianity  in  the  world.  It  is  a  darlc  it 
heaven  and  earth,  and  is  amongst  the  most 
drances  to  sinners  from  seeking  the  kingc 
engenders  bondage  and  gloominess  in  th 
fliience  is  felt  throughout  the  Christian  wo: 
is  least  suspected.  Its  first  link  is  total  de 
there  thousands  of  precious  saints  in  this  sy 

About  this  period,  the  churches  ha 
state  of  religious  apathy,  and  the  po 
over  the  community  seemed  to  be  but 
A  reaction,  however,  soon  began,  and 
ment  occurred  in  the  south  of  Kentuc 
nessee  under  the  labors  of  certain  Prei 
ters,  among  whom  was  the  same  Ja 
whose  preaching  had  so  strongly  affect* 
while  a  youth,  in  North  Carolina.  He 
vival,  Mr.  Stone,  in  the  spring  of  180; 
attend  one  of  the  camp-meetings  held  ir 
Here  he,  for  the  first  time,  witnessei 
agitations  and  cataleptic  attacks  whicl 
occurred  under  the  preaching  of  White 
Many  of  the  people  were  struck  down 
maining  for  hours  motionless,  and  then 
agonies  of  remorse  or  in  the  ecstasies 


RELIGIOUS  AWAKENING.  193 

Young  and  old,  saints  and  sinners,  seemed  equally 
subject  to  these  strange  affections,  which  Mr.  Stone, 
after  full  consideration,  believed  to  be  the  work  of  God, 
designed  to  arouse  men  to  attend  to  their  spiritual  inter- 
ests. Upon  his  return  to  .Caneridge,  similar  effects 
occurred  under  his  own  labors,  and  a  protracted  meet- 
ing being  appointed  in  August,  the  interest  felt  through- 
out the  community  brought  together  a  multitude  esti- 
mated at  more  than  twenty  thousand.  Methodist  and 
Baptist  preachers  aided,  several  preaching  in  different 
parts  of  the  encampment  at  the  same  time,  .tnd  it  was 
believed  that  not  less  than  one  thousand  persons,  among 
whom  were  many  infidels,  were  struck  down  or  other- 
wise affected  with  these  singular  agitations. 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  great  good  resulted  from  the 
intense  religious  excitement  which  thus  prevailed  in 
various  portions  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  Nor 
were  its  effects  by  any  means  transient,  but  were  felt 
for  some  years  in  the  rapid  growth  of  the  churches  in 
general  and  in  a  greater  degree  of  religious  fervor. 
There  were  at  this  time  several  other  preachers  in  the 
Presbyterian  connection  who  coincided  in  religious 
views  with  Mr.  Stone.  These  were  McNamar,  Thomp- 
son, Dunlavy,  Marshall  and  David  Furviance,  the  lat- 
ter being  then  a  candidate  for  the  ministry.  As  they 
boldly  preached  the  sufficiency  of  the  gospel  to  save 
men,  and  that  the  testimony  of  God  was  designed  and 
able  to  produce  faith,  "the  people  appeared,"  says  Mr. 
Stone,  "  as  just  awakened  from  the  sleep  of  ages ;  they 
seemed  to  see  for  the  first  time  that  they  were  respon- 
sible beings,  and  that  the  refusal  to  use  the  means  ap- 
pointed was  a  damning  sin." 

This  departure  from  the  doctrines  of  the  Confession 
of  Faith  soon  occasioned  a  virulent  opposition  on  the 


194         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPh 

part  of  those  who  adhered  to  it.  The  Pi 
Springfield,  in  Ohio,  arraigned  McNaraar,  j 
came  before  the  Synod  at  Lexington.  Pei 
the  decision  would  be  adverse,  the  live  pres 
named  drew  up  a  protest  against  the  proc 
withdrew  from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Sj 
Synod  then  suspended  them  and  declared  t 
gations  vacant.  This  act  produced  great 
and  division  among  the  churches,  and  cc 
seceding  ministers  in  their  opposition  to  en 
thoritative  ecclesiastical  systems.  They  at 
themselves  into  a  Presbytery,  called  the  Sprii 
bytery,  and  published  an  "  Apology,"  in 
stated  their  objections  to  the  Confession  oi 
their  abandonment  of  everything  but  the  '. 
rule  of  faith  and  practice.  This  called  ot 
and  sermons  from  the  opposite  side,  and  th 
canvassed  became  widely  disseminated. 

Soon  after  his  separation,  Mr.  Stone  ca 
gregation  together  and  informed  them  that 
longer  preach  to  support  Presbyterianism, 
labors  should  henceforth  be  directed  to  adv; 
kingdom  irrespective  of  party,  absolving  tl 
pecuniary  obligations  to  him.  He  continue 
however,  almost  daily  to  the  people  arou: 
deavored  to  gain  a  support  by  cultivating  i 
hands  his  little  farm,  toiling  oflen  at  night  t< 
his  task.  Co-operating  with  his  assoc 
"Springfield  Presbytery"  in  preaching  a 
churches,  a  year  had  scarcely  elapsed  ui 
organization  was  perceived  to  be  unscriptu 
by  common  consent  renounced,  all  agreeiuj 
name  of  Christian,  which  they  thought  the 
title  for -Christ's  followers,  and  believed  t 


V/EtV   OF   THE  ATONEMENT.  I9S 

given  by  Divine  appointment  to  the  disciples  at  An- 
tioch.  This  step  occasioned  fresh  attacks  from  the  sects, 
but  in  spite  of  all  opposition  the  cause  advanced  and 
churches  and  preachers  were  multiplied,  the  independ- 
ency of  each  congregation  being  recognized  and  all 
legislative  and  delegated  authprity  abolished. 

Shortly  after  this  (in  1807),  Mr,  Stone  became  much 
engaged  in  considering  the  difficult  questions  connected 
with  the  atonement,  and  published  some  pamphlets  on 
this  subject,  objecting  to  both  the  Calvinian  and  Ar- 
minian  views  of  it.  The  commercial  idea  of  the  atone- 
ment, satisfaction  for  debt,  and  that  Christ  died  a  tem- 
poral, spiritual  and  eternal  death  for  sinners,  involved, 
he  thought,  insuperable  difficulties.  Nor  did  the  view 
that  Christ  died  to  reconcile  the  Father  to  men  seem  to 
him  consistent  with  the  fact  that  -while  men  -were  yet 
sinners  Christ  was  sent  to  save  them,  or  with  the  Scrip- 
ture entreaty  addressed  to  them,  "  Be  ye  reconciled  to 
God."  Admitting  that  men  are  "  reconciled  to  God  by 
the  death  of  his  Son,"  he  regarded  this  restoration  of 
union  and  fellowship  with  God  as  constituting  the 
"  atonement,"  taking  this  word  in  its  ordinary  ety- 
mology as  compounded  of  at  and  one,  and  as  signify- 
ing that  God  and  man  were  thus  once  more  at-one — 
that  man,  having  received  pardon  through  faith  in  Christ, 
and  being  made  holy,  was  thus  admitted  to  fellowship 
with  God.* 

*  The  vord  "oAMf"  was  formerly  spelled  "atltnu,"  which  indicates  its 
proper  pronunciation.  Thai  it  is  compounded  of  "of  and  "ant''  is  a  mere 
hypothesis,  and  certainly  a  (breed  and  awkward  derivation.  Coleridge  re  - 
marks  of  it  in  his  appendix  to  his  "Statesman's  Manual :  "This  is  a  mis- 
taken etymology.  .  .  .  Oar  ai^iit  is  doubtless  of  the  same  stock  with  the 
Teutonic  auisiknai,  vtriSAnen,  the  Anglo-Saxon  taking  the  "f  Tot  the  "t." 
Upon  these  words  Pio£  C,  L.  Loos  tbus  remarks:  "The  simple  verb  is 
bChnen,  to^y  lie  raninm  for  anything;  is  ixpiate.     The  prefix  aui  denote* 


1^6         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAl 

Mr.  Stone  possessed  a  mind  disposed 
one  which  could  not  long  endure  a  stai 
or  perplexity,  and  must  therefore  soon  3« 
whatever  view  seemed  to  him  the  simple 
satisfactory.  But  the  wonderful  problen 
nitely  just  and  holy  God  could  forgive 
with  his  character,  was  not  one  to  be 
form  so  simple  as  to  be  fully  compreht 
Bnite  understanding  ;  neither  was  it  to  bi 
omitting  to  consider  it  at  all.  Hence  th 
quate  conception  of  this  most  vital  sub 
out  of  view  the  relations  of  the  death  o 
Divine  character  and  government,  and 
cause  with  one  of  its  effects,  at  once  cxp 
to  the  charge  of  Arianism,  Socinianisr 
to  a  protracted  controversy,  in  which 
much  ingenuity  and  ability,  but  was  le 
reasoning  more  speculative  than  practi 
were  calculated  to  lead  the  mind  away 
teachings  of  the  Bible. 

About  this  period,  the  subject  of  ba 
claim  particular  attention.  Previous, 
great  excitement  in  1801,  Robert  Marsh 
satisfied  that  the  Baptists  were  right  ii 
question ;  upon  which  Mr.  Stone  tried  1 
of  error,  but  in  the  course  of  the  discus 
so  to  doubt  Pzedobaptism  that  he  disconi 
tice  entirely.'  The  religious  awakening 
engrossed  the  minds  of  all,  and  for  soi 
time  baptism  was  left  out  of  view.     At  1« 

Ikgrvughfua,  as  ptr  in  Lalin  ;  ver  indicates  reconcilii 
some  thing  reciprtKally.  The  noun  sUhne  (the  a  ar 
changed)  is  asieffcring<a  tacrifia,<a  cither  act  of  expiali 
of  suffering,  either  by  nay  of  punishment  or  self-impoa 


DISTINCTIVE  DIFFERENCES.  199 

the  latter,  the  desire  of  an  exact  conformity  to  the  primi- 
tive faith  and  practice.  The  one  occupied  itself  chiefly 
in  casting  abroad  the  sweep-net  of  the  gospel,  which 
gathers  fishes  of  every  kind  ;  the  other  was  more  intent 
upon  collecting  "  the  good  into  vessels"  and  casting  "  the 
bad  away."  Hence  the  former  engaged  mainly  in 
preaching — the  latter  in  teaching.  The  revivalist  ma- 
chinery of  protracted  meetings,  warm  exhortation,  per- 
sonal entreaty,  earnest  prayers  for  conversion  and 
union,  accompanied  by  a  belief  in  special  spiritual 
operations  and  the  use  of  the  mourner's  seat,  existed 
with  the  one,  while,  with  the  other,  the  matters  of  chief 
interest  were  the  disentanglement  of  the  Christian  faith 
from  modern  corruptions  of  it  and  the  recovery  of  the 
gospel  ordinances  and  ancient  order  of  things.  There 
had  indeed  been  an  almost  entire  neglect  of  evangeli- 
zation on  the  part  of  the  few  churdies  which  were 
originally  connected  with  Mr.  Campbell  in  his  reform- 
atory efforts.  They  had  not  a  single  itinerant  preacher, 
and,  although  they  made  great  progress  in  biblical 
knowledge,  they  gained  comparatively  few  converts. 
The  churches  of  the  Christian  Connection,  on  the  other 
hand,  less  inimical  to  speculative  theories,  granting 
membership  to  the  unimmersed  and  free  communion  to 
all,  and  imperfectly  acquainted  with  the  order,  discipline 
and  institutions  of  the  churches,  made,  through  an  effi- 
cient itineracy,  large  accessions  everywhere,  and  in- 
creased with  surprising  rapidity.  They  were  charac- 
terized by  a  simplicity  of  belief  and  manners  and  a 
liberality  of  spirit  highly  captivating,  and  possessed,  in 
general,  a  striking  and  praiseworthy  readiness  to  receive 
additional  light  from  the  Bible.  They  gained  over, 
consequently,  from  the  religious  community  many  of 
the  pious  and  peace-loving  who  groaned  under  the  evils 


h 


iiil 


111 

it 


aoo         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPB 

of  sectarianism,  while  the  earnest  exhortation 
preachers  and  their  direct  personal  appeals 
obtained  large  accessions  from  the  world. 

Mr.  Campbell  had  for  some  years  been  a 
existence  of  this  body  of  reformers,  and  in 
at  Georgetown,  Kentucky,  as  formerly  rela 
an  agreeable  personal  acquaintance  with  B. 
which  became  still  more  intimate  during 
visits.  In  the  year  1826,  Mr.  Stone  comm 
lishing  a  monthly  periodical  called  the  "Chi 
senger,"  which  was  well  sustained.  In  this  p 
addressed,  in  the  earlier  part  of  this  yea 
communication  to  the  editor  of  the  "Christi 
in  reference  to  an  exposition  which  Mr.  Ca: 
given  of  John  i.  i,  objecting  to  some  exp 
tantamount  to  those  of  the  Calvinists,  and 
upon  some  of  the  difficulties  involved  in  tht 
the  Trinity.  In  the  commencement  of  this 
Stone  speaks  thus  of  Mr.  Campbell's  labors 
good  effect  they  had  already  produced  in  c 
tendency  to  theological  speculation  1 

"  Your  talents  nnd  learning  we  have  highly  res' 
course  we  have  generally  approved  ;  your  religi 
many  points  accord  with  our  own ;  and  to  one  [» 
hoped  we  both  were  directing  our  efforts,  which 
unite  the  flock  of  Christ  scallered  in  the  dark 
day.  We  have  seen  you,  with  the  arm  of  a  Sam| 
courage  of  a  David,  tearing  away  the  long-establi 
tion  of  partyism,  human  autlioritative  creeds  and 
we  have  seen  you  successfully  attacking  many  : 
and  speculations  in  religion,  and  against  every  a 
the  Bible  and  its  simplicity  we  have  seen  you 
your  mighty  powers.  Human  edifices  begin  t 
their  builders  to  tremble.  .  .  .  Not  as  unconcerm 
have  we  looked  on  the  mighty  war  between  you  ; 


RELIGIOUS   THEORIES.  30I 

posers — a  war  in  which  many  of  us  had  been  engaged  for 
many  years  before  you  entered  the  field.  You  liave  made  a 
diversion  in  our  favor,  and  to  you  is  turned  the  attention  of 
creed-makers  and  party- spirits,  and  on  you  is  hurled  their 
ghostly  thunder.  We  enjoy  a  temporary  peace  and  respite 
from  war  where  you  are  known.  From  you  we  have  learned 
more  fully  the  evil  of  speculating  on  religion,  and  liiive  made 
considerable  proficiency  in  correcting  ourselves." 

He  then  intimated  that  Mr.  Campbell  had  departed 
from  his  own  principles  in  his  commentary  on  John  i.  i, 
by  indulging  in  speculative  views  concerning  the  pre- 
existent  stale  of  Christ,  and  goes  on  at  considerable 
length  to  dwell  upon  the  difficulties  arising,  on  princi- 
ples of  reason,  from  the  hypothesis  that  the  "Son  of 
God,"  either  under  this  title  or  as  "  the  Word,"  had  an 
independent  existence  in  eternity.  In  the  conclusion, 
however,  he  says  :  "  We  believe  the  intelligent  person, 
the  Word  or  the  Son  of  God,  existed  long  before  he 
was  called  Jesus,  Christ  or  Messiah."  • 


*  Mr.  Stone  was  quite  mistaken  in  supposing  that  Mr.  Campbell  designed 
to  advance  any  theory  upon  the  subject  of  Christ's  pre- existence.  This  object 
indeed  was  expressly  disavowed  in  the  article  referred  to  |C.  B.,  vol  iv.,  p. 
3301.  He  desired  merely  to  nasisi  the  mind  of  the  inquirer  in  csnetiving  the 
relatirin  existing  between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  as  set  forth  by  John  in  the 
beginning  of  his  testimony.  Availing  himself  of  his  remarkable  skill  in 
tracing  analogies,  he,  in  a  very  striking  manner,  had  compared  the  relation 
existing  between  an  idea  and  the  word  by  which  it  is  expressed,  with  that 
indicated  by  John  I.  i  between  God  and  the  Word.  "  As  a  word,"  said  he, 
"is  an  exact  image  of  an  idea,  so  is  '  Tht  Word'  an  exact  image  of  the  in- 
visible God.  As  a  word  cannot  exist  without  an  idea,  nor  an  idea  without  a 
word,  so  Ood  never  was  without '  The  Word;  nor  '  The  Word'  without  God ; 
or  as  a  word  is  of  equal  age  or  co-elaneous  with  its  idea,  so  '  The  Word'  and 
God  are  co-eternal.  And  as  an  idea  does  not  create  its  word,  nor  a  word  its 
idea,  so  God  did  not  create  '  The  Word;  nor  '  The  Word;  God.  Such  a 
view  does  the  language  of  John  suggest  And  to  this  do  all  (he  Scriptares 
agree.  For  '  The  Word'  was  made  flesh,  and  in  consequence  of  becoming 
incarnate  he  is  styled  the  Sonaf  God,  the  Only  Begotten  of  the  Father.  As 
from  eternity  God  was  manifest  in  and  by  '  The  Word;  so  now  God  is  manJ. 


MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBEL 


Mr.  Campbell  commences  his  reply  thus : 
"  Brother  Stonb  :  I  will  call  you  brother  be 
once  told  me  that  you  could  conscientiously  and 
pray  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  though  there  wai 
God  in  the  universe  than  he.  I  then  asked  you  of 
sequence  was  alt  the  long  controversy  you  had  w 
the  Calvinists  on  the  Trinitarian  questions.  They 
tically  no  more  than  pray  to  Jesus,  and  you  could  c( 
and  conscientiously  do  no  less.  Theoretically  yoi 
but  praclicnlly  you  agreed.  I  think  you  told  me 
forced  into  this  controversy  and  that  you  regretted  i 
He  then  takes  advantage  of  the  occasion  to 
certain  principles  designed  to  correct  the  ten 
had  noticed  to  speculation  and  theory  in  regar 
ters  utterly  beyond  the  powers  of  human  rea: 
shows  that  when  evidence  addressed  to  reason 
vinced  any  one  that  the  Bible  is  from  God,  h 
to  receive  its  statements  as  first  principles 
further  question,  and  that  while  the  terms  us 
be  understood  in  their  usual  acceptation,  the  t 
vealed  are  to  be  accepted,  not  because  prove 
son,  but  simply  because  God  has  revealed  th 
then  takes  the  ground  that  as  the  subject  of  tl 
nature  is  one  confessedly  beyond  the  grasp  c 
reason,  there  is  nothing  contrary  to  reason  in  t 
tarian  hypothesis,  any  more  than  in  the  belief 
ponents  in  an  Eternal  First  Cause.     Thus  he 


Test  in  the  fleah.  As  Gud  was  always  with  '  Tlu  Word;  so 
Woid'  became  flesh,  he  is  Emmanuel  God  with  us.  As  God  ncv 
fesl  bu!  by  ■  The  Word.'  so  the  heavens  and  the  earth  and  alt 
created  l^  'The  Word'  And  as  '  Tlu  Word'  ever  was  the  < 
represcnlalion  of  the  invisible  God,  so  he  will  ever  be  known  a: 
'  The  Word  of  Cod'  So  much  for  the  divine  and  eternal  retal 
the  Saviour  and  God.  You  will  easily  perceive  that  I  carry  th 
further  than  to  explain  (he  nature  of  that  riUUion,  uncreated  and  i 
which  the  inspired  language  inculcates." 


il'i 
I 


LIMITS   OF  REASON.  203 

"It  is  contrary  to  all  the  facts  before  us  in  the  whole  world 
that  any  cause  can  be  the  cause  of  itself,  or  not  the  effect  of 
some  other  cause.  No  man  from  analogy  can  reason  faither 
than  that  every  cause  is  the  effect  of  another,  ad  infinitum. 
Here  reason  shuts  the  door ;  here  analogy  puts  up  her  rule 
and  shuts  her  case  of  instruments.  Now  in  this  case  the 
Unitarian  and  the  Trinitarian  are  alike  unphilosophic — 
alike  unreasonable.*  .  .  .  Your  error  is  this;  you  know 
nothing  of  the  existence  of  spirits  at  all.  All  bodies  you 
know  anything  of,  occupy  both  time  and  space  ;  consequently 
it  would  be  absurd  to  suppose  that  three  beings  whose  modes 
of  existence  are  such  as  to  be  governed  by  time  and  space 
could  be  one  being.  But  inasmuch  as  we  do  know  nothing 
of  the  mode  of  existence  of  spirits,  we  cannot  say  that  it 
would  be  incompatible  with  their  nature  or  modes  of  exist- 
ence that  three  might  be  one,  and  that  one  might  exist  in 
three  beings.  Now,  as  no  man  can  rationally  oppose  tlie 
Calvinistic  hypothesis  on  principles  of  reason,  so  neither  can 
he  prove  it  to  be  correct  by  any  analogy  or  principle  of  reason 
whatsoever.  Why  then  wage  this  warfare?  We  may  dis- 
prove a  theory  by  what  the  Bible  declares,  but  not  by  our 
reasoning  on  such  topics.  Why  not,  then,  abide  in  the  use 
of  the  Bible  terms  alone?  .  .  .  But  I  adopt  neither  system, 
and  will  fight  for  none.  I  believe  that  God  so  loved  the 
world  that  he  sent  his  only  begotten  Son  ;  that  Jesus  was  the 
Son  of  God,  in  the  true,  full  and  proper  import  of  these 
words  ;  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  Spirit  of  God,  the  Spirit 

'Mr.  Campbell's  idea  of  the  limited  range  ot  human  reason  is  poetically 
and  beautilully  expressed  by  Coleridge  at  the  close  of  his  Biographia  Lit- 
eraria  :  "  Religion,"  says  he,  "  passes  out  of  the  ken  of  reason  only  when  the 
eye  of  reason  has  reached  its  own  horizon;  and  faith  is  then  but  its  con- 
tinuation ;  even  as  the  day  softens  away  into  the  sweet  twilight,  and  twilight, 
hushed  and  breathless,  steals  into  the  darkness.  It  is  night,  sacred  night ! 
the  upraised  eye  views  only  the  starry  heaven  which  manifests  itself  alone  ; 
and  it.e  oulwaid  beholding  ia  fixed  on  the  sparks  twinkling  in  the  awful 
depth,  though  suns  of  other  worlds,  only  to  preserve  the  soul  steady  and 
collected  in  its  pure  act  of  inward  adoration  to  the  great  I  AM,  and  to  the 
filial  Word  that  reaffirmeth  it  from  eternity  to  eternity,  whose  choral  echo 
u  the  universe :  OEC  MONO  AOSA." 


.EXANDER   CAMPBl 

by  the  concurrence  of 
establish  the  truth,  an 
larth  when  Jesus  eiiter< 

this  matter  is  stronge 
:tion.  I  only  request 
I  will  not  condemn  his 

that  certain  opinions  c 
else,  are  about  becomin 
icred  name  of  Christie 

f  a  people  who  have  i 
d  relation  of  the  Churc 
t  the  fact ;  but  things 
and  if  not  suppressed 
be  as  much  a  sectart 
^resbyterian." 

iciples.  Mr.  Campbel 
ught  the  religious  co 
out  at  once  the  folly 
hat  is  written,"  and  I 
ally  revealed.     Mr. 

his  views  of  the  Df 
;  the  true  principle 
iA  that  both  were  « 
b!e.  The  course  of 
ions  which  had  for  aj 
gments ;  that  of  the 

which  a  true  Chris 
bed. 

dly  relations  existin 
>rniers,  it  was  natur 
an  Connection  on  tl 
:en  an  active  interest 
ng  Association  and 
ott  as  an  itinerant. 


PROVIDENTIAL    GUIDINGS.  205 

deed  the  great  success  of  the  Christian  preachers  in 
gaining  converts  that  had  awakened  the  churches  of  the 
Association  to  the  importance  of  making  an  effort  in 
that  direction  ;  for,  having  largely  imbibed  the  spirit  of 
the  movement  directed  by  Mr.  Campbell,  and  being 
much  occupied  with  their  own  improvement  in  Scripture 
knowledge  and  with  questions  of  church  order,  they  had 
neglected  for  some  time  to  make  proper  evangelizing 
efforts,  and  were  receiving,  consequently,  very  few  ad- 
ditions. One  of  the  two  Christian  preachers  present  at 
the  Association,  John  Secrest,  was  particularly  noted 
for  the  large  number  of  converts  he  was  in  the  habit  of 
reporting.  The  other,  Joseph  Gaston,  was  distinguished 
for  his  piety  and  his  mild  and  unassuming  disposition. 
He  was  a  young  man,  tall  in  stature,  with  dark  hair,  a 
large  head,  broad  shoulders  and  agreeable  features,  and 
possessed  a  deep,  sonorous  voice  and  great  powers  of 
exhortation.  He  was  full  of  affection  for  men  and  zeal 
for  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  devoted  himself  with  great 
energy  to  the  promotion  of  Christian  union  upon  the 
Bible.  As  soon  as  he  and  Walter  Scott  became  ac- 
quainted, they  formed  a  warm  attachment  for  each  other, 
and  their  intercourse  tended  to  modify  each  other's  views 
and  modes  of  proceeding.  Mr.  Scott  admired  Mr.  Gas- 
ton's powerful  appeals  to  sinners.  The  latter,  on  the 
other  hand,  was  attracted  by  Mr.  Scolt's  warm  feelings 
and  amiable  qualities,  as  well  as  profoundly  impressed 
by  his  thorough  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures ;  and  being 
a  sincere  lover  of  truth,' he  listened  with  interest  to  the 
clearer  views  of  the  gospel  and  its  institudons  which 
were  presented  to  him. 

The  providence  which  had  led  to  the  appointment  of 
Walter  Scott  as  an  itinerant  was  not  long  in  developing 
its  meaning.     Brought  into  immediate  communication 


2o6         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMP. 

with  the  Christian  preachers,  who,  as  ren 
laboring  with  much  success,  he  imbibed  i 
their  spirit,  but  he  was  still  far  from  appro 
views  or  modes  of  procedure.  At  the  si 
perceived  the  ineffectiveness  of  the  cours 
pursued  by  the  Haldanean  and  other  chu 
Reformation  in  presenting  the  gospel  theon 
speak,  without  making  a  direct  and  practice 
of  ils  requirements  to  the  unconverted.  T 
to  be  a  link  wanting  to  connect  an  avo 
Christ  with  an  immediate  realization  of  the 
the  gospel.  These  seemed  placed  at  an  a 
distance  from  the  penitent,  bowed  down  ui 
of  guilt,  and  longing  for  some  certain  ev: 
ceptance,  which  he  often  vainly  sought  ir 
spiritual  illuminations  upon  which  men  wi 
rely.  The  Mahoning  Association,  being 
transition  state,  had  prescribed  to  Mr.  Scott 
course  whatever,  simply  appointing  him  as  i 
"  to  travel  and  teach  among  the  churches, 
a  view  of  bringing  them  more  fully  upon 
ground,  but  chiefly  in  order  that,  by  mean: 
labor  and  the  quarterly  meetings  designate' 
bers  might  be  augmented.  It  was  his  duty 
consider  how  the  proclamation  of  the  gos| 
rendered  most  effective  for  the  conversion  ,c 
This  was,  in  view  of  all  the  circumsta 
difficult  and  perplexing  question.  Calv: 
still  lingered  to  a  large  extent  among  th 
churches.  Election,  effectual  calling,  theot 
eration,  still  occupied  the  minds  of  mat 
satisfactory  evidences  of  a  true  faith  were 
before  admission  to  baptism,  which  was  loc 
a  means  of  admission  into  the  Church — a  co 


BAPTISM  FOR  REMISSION  OF  SINS.  JO? 

obeyed  by  those  who  were  already  converted.  No 
special  promises  were  recognized  as  connected  with  it, 
and  it  was  very  unusual  to  hear  this  subject  presented 
at  all,  except  when  some  one  was  about  to  be  baptized. 
Mr.  Scott,  Elder  Bentley  and  some  others  of  the  promi- 
nent preachers,  were  indeed  aware  that  Mr.  Campbell 
had  spoken  of  it  at  the  McCalla  debate  as  a  pledge  of 
pardon,  but  in  this  point  of  view  it  was,  as  yet,  contem- 
plated only  theoretically,  none  of  them  having  so  under- 
stood it  when  they  were  themselves  baptized,  and  being 
yet  unable  properly  and  practically  to  realize  or  appre- 
ciate its  importance  in  this  respect.  Hence,  almost 
from  the  first  moment  of  his  appointment,  Mr.  Scott's 
mind  was  thrown  into  a  state  of  great  perplexity  amidst 
the  discordant  and  confused  views  relating  to  conversion. 
Baptism  still  seemed  to  present  itself  as  in  some  way  in- 
timately connected  with  the  personal  enjoyment  of  the 
blessings  of  the  gospel,  but  he  was  unable  as  yet  to  per- 
ceive the  exact  position  which  it  occupied  in  relatipn  to 
other  requirements. 

About  this  time,  Adamson  Bentley  went  down  to 
Braceville,  with  Jacob  Osborne,  to  hold  a  meeting.  In 
a  discourse  which  he  delivered  on  the  occasion  he  was 
led  to  speak  of  baptism,  and  gave  the  views  which  Mr. 
Campbell  had  presented  in  the  McCalla  debate,  affirm- 
ing that  it  was  designed  to  be  a  pledge  of  remission  of 
sins.  While  they  were  on  their  way  back  to  Warren, 
after  meeting,  Jacob  Osborne  said,  "Well,  Brother 
Bentley,  you  have  christened  baptism  to-day."  "  How 
so?"  said  Mr.  Bentley.  "You  termed  it  a  remiittng 
institution."  "  Well,"  rejoined  Mr.  Bentley,  "  I  do  not 
see  how  this  conclusion  is  to  be  avoided  with  the  Scrip- 
tures before  us."  "  It  is  the  truth,"  said  Mr.  Osborne, 
who  was  a  great  student  of  the  Bible ;  "  and  I  have  for 


2oS        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAM. 

some  time  thought  that  the  waters  of  bapti; 
in  the  same  position  to  us  that  the  bloo( 
did  to  the  Jews.  '  The  blood  of  bulls 
could  never  take  away  sins,'  as  Paul  decla 
offered  at  the  altar  by  the  sinner  he  had 
surance  that  his  sin  was  forgiven  him.  T 
merely  typical  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  the 
ing  to  which  it  pointed  prospectively,  an 
me  that  the  water  in  baptism,  which  has 
itself  to  wash  away  sins,  n6w  refers  retr 
the  purifying  power  of  the  blood  of  the  L 
Soon  afterward,  meeting  with  Mr.  S 
three  went  down  to  Howland,  and  the 
Braceville  and  subsequent  conversation  t 
up,  Mr.  Scott  fully  coincided  in  the  viev 
In  one  of  his  discourses  at  Howland, 
again  introduced  the  subject,  and  proo 
further  that  no  one  had  the  promise  of  th 
until  after  baptism.  This  remark  seemed 
Scott  with  surprise,  and  after  meeting  he 
Osborne,  "You  are  a  man  of  great  ci 
turning  to  Mr.  Bentley,  he  added  :  "  Do 
so.  Brother  Bentley."  "Why?"  said  '. 
"  Because,"  said  he,  "  he  ventured  to  assc 
no  one  had  a  right  to  expect  the  Holy  Spi 
baptism."  From  this  moment,  Mr.  Scott's 
to  be  engrossed  with  the  consideration  of 
tive  order  appropriate  to  the  various  items 
and  being  greatly  given  to  analysis  and 
he  proceeded  to  place  them  thus:  i,  fail 
ance;  3,  baptism;  4,  remission  of  sins;  5 
This  view  relieved  at  once  his  previous  pei 
the  gospel,  with  its  items  thus  regula 
seemed  to  him  almost  like  a  new  revelat 


DISCOURA  CEMENTS.  809 

that  he  had  now  obtained  a  clue  which  would  extricate 
men's  minds  from  the  labyrinth  in  which  they  were  in- 
volved in  relation  to  conversion,  and  enable  him  to  pre- 
sent the  gospel  in  all  its  original  simplicity. 

While  meditating  on  these  things,  and  debating  with 
his  own  irresolution  in  regard  to  their  presentation  to 
the  public,  he  met  with  Joseph  Gaston,  to  whom  he 
freely  communicated  his  thoughts,  and  who,  delighted 
with  the  new  view  of  the  gospel  thus  given,  at  once 
declared  it  to  be  the  truth,  and  that  it  ought  to  be 
preached  to  the  world.  Thus  encouraged,  Mr.  Scott 
determined  to  make  the  experiment ;  but  fearing  to 
give  cause  of  offence  to  the  churches  who  had  employed 
him,  he  sent  an  appointment  outside  of  the  Association 
ground,  and  with  considerable  trepidation,  but  in  an 
earnest  and  interesting  manner,  laid  before  the  audience 
his  analysis  of  the  gospel,  and  at  the  close  gave  a 
formal  invitation  to  any  so  disposed  to  come  forward 
and  be  baptized  for  the  remission  of  sins.  No  one, 
however,  came.     The  effort  was  a  failure. 

This,  indeed,  might  have  beeti  anticipated.  The 
whole  communil}'  were  filled  with  the  notion  that  some 
special  spiritual  influence  was  to  be  exerted  upon  men's 
hearts— that  some  supernatural  visitation  must  occur 
before  any  one  could  be  a  fit  subject  for  baptism.  This 
spiritual  operation,  too,  all  had  been  taught  to  regard 
as  the  evidence  of  acceptance  and  pardon,  and  hence 
when  they  were  simply  invited  to  come  directly  forward 
and  be  baptized  for  the  remission  of  sins,  they  were 
filled  with  amazement  that  any  one  should  thus  propose 
to  dispense  with  all  the  usual  processes  to  which 
"  mourners"  and  penitents  were  subjected.  Like  the 
Syrian  noble,  they  were  offended  because  the  usual 
ceremonies  were  not  observed,  and  because  they  were 

YOL.  II.-O  18  ■ 


2IO       MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMP! 

merely  directed  to  "  wash  and  be  clean, 
them  had  ever  witnessed  or.heard  of  such  a 
They  could  find  no  precedent  for  it  among 
and  ceremonies  of  the  religious  parties, 
being  without  the  authority  conferred  by 
could  regard  it  only  as  an  innovation.  It  w; 
fore  strange  that  no  one  ventured  to  com 
invitation,  and  that  the  discourse  seemed  t 
preached  in  vain.  With  regard  to  Mr.  S 
however,  it  was  by  no  means  fruitless.  I- 
broken  through  the  restraints  imposed  by  a 
false  religious  sentiment.  He  had  assumt 
which  required  to  be  maintained,  and  as  1 
overcome  the  difficulties  connected  with  t1 
he  felt  encouraged  to  proceed.  More  es] 
his  effort  awakened  in  his  own  mind  ne 
thought  and  given  him  wider  and  better  i 
whole  subject,  so  that  he  felt  himself  pre[ 
sent  it  in  a  much  more  full  and  forcible  ir 
determined,  therefore,  to  assume  the  who 
bility,  and  to  preach  boldly  in  the  very  pla 
had  received  his  appointment  the  sacred  i 
burned  within  his  own  heart.  He  accor 
notice  that  he  would  deliver  in  New  Lisboi 
discourses  upon  the  Ancient  Gospel. 

At  the  time  appointed  there  was  a  consid 
ence,  and  the  novel  manner  in  which  the  sj 
duced  his  theme,  along  with  his  own  obv 
engagedness  and  excitement,  created  no  1 
and  expectation.  His  discourse  was  based 
confession.  Matt.  xvi.  i6,  in  connection  wi 
apostle's  answer  to  the  inquiry,  "What  si 
given  to  the  penitents  on  the  day  of  Fentec 
38.     As  the  lordship  and  glory  of  Christ, 


MTSTBRIOUS  SUCCESS.  211 

God,  was  his  favorite  theme,  and  he  was,  on  this  occa- 
sion, animated  with  more  than  usual  fervor,  he  became 
most  eloquent,  and  held  the  audience  in  a  state  of  rapt 
attention  as  he  gradually  developed  the  power  of  the 
simple  but  comprehensive  Christian  creed — the  rock 
which  Christ  announced  as  the  foundation  on  which  he 
would  build  his  Church ;  the  grand  proposition  proved 
by  the  miracles  of  fulfilled  prophecy,  supernatural  wis- 
dom, divine  love,  healing  power  and  victory  over  the 
grave,  detailed  by  the  evangelists,  that  men  might  be- 
lieve, and,  "believing,  have  life*  through  his  name." 
And  when  he  went  on  to  show  how  this  gospel  was 
administered  in  the  beginning,  and  that  believers  were 
baptized  'into  the  name  and  into  the  death  of  Christ, 
and  being  thus  buried  with  him  and  raised  again  to  a 
new  life,  received  in  this  symbolic  act  the  remission  of 
sins  and  the  promised  Holy  Spirit,  which  was  the  seal 
of  the  Christian  covenant  and  the  earnest  of  an  eternal 
inheritance,  his  hearers,  while  charmed  with  such  a 
novel  view  of  the  simplicity  and  completeness  of  the 
gospel,  were,  as  on  the  former  occasion,  filled  with 
doubt  and  wonder  and  were  ready  to  ask  each  other, 
"  How  can  these  things  be?" 

Just  as  he  was  about  closing  his  long  discourse,  and 
while  he  was  exhorting  the  people  to  trust  in  the  word 
of  God  in  preference  to  all  human  systems  of  religion, 
a  stranger  entered  the  assembly,  and  when,  a  few  mo- 
ments afterward,  the  speaker  closed  by  again  quoting 
Peter's  words  and  inviting  any  present  to  come  forward 
and  be  baptized  for  the  remission  of  sins,  this  stranger, 
to  the  surprise  of  all,  at  once  stepped  forward  and  pre- 
sented himself.  Here  was  a  singular  circumstance. 
This  person  had  not  been  enlightened  and  convinced 
by  the  preacher,  for  he  had  heard  only  his  few  closing 


MEMOIRS    OF  ALEXANDER   ■ 

ks.     Yet  he  came  forward  wit 

assured  purpose,  and  all  the  to! 
hension,  to  request  baptism  foi 
Mr.  Scott  knew  not  what  to 
dual,  when  carefully  questioned 
lerstand  the  matter,  just  as  did 

There  being,  therefore,  no  gr 
10  reason  for  delay,  Mr.  Scott, 
)f  the  candidate,  baptized  him 

concourse  "_/flr  the  remission 
g  to  the  usual  formula  the  wo: 
,  explanatory  of  the  purpose 
leoplewere  filled  with  bewilderr 

brought  to  their  ears,  and  now 
eyes  in  the  baptism  of  a  peni 
now,  on  the  i8th  of  Noveml 
ime  since  the  primitive  ages  w 
■  realized.  A  great  excitement 
bject  was  discussed  everywhere 
At.  Scott,  continuing  daily  to  ; 
ices  and  developing  his  views  o 
rts,  succeeded,  before  the  close 
ing  in  all  seventeen  persons  to  a 
ind  baptism.  Thus  the  charm 
of  God  had  triumphed,  and  the  v 
ast  over  men's  hearts  was  rem< 
.eformation,  which  had  alread 
:h  the  ancient  order  of  things 
;  primitive  faiih,  was  enabled  t 
ation  of  the  gospel  to  the  conve 

eflecting  upon  the  circumstanc 
ipointment,  and  the  suggestion 

he  had  providentially  receivcc 

perceive  how  he  had  himself  bt 


KETS   OF   THE  KINGDOM.  213 

SO  important.  It  remained,  however,  still  a  mystery 
that  his  first  two  discourses  should  have  failed  to  con- 
vince any  one,  and  that  at  the  close  of  the  second  an 
individual  who  had  heard  neither  of  them  should  have 
come  forward  intelligently  with  little  more  than  a  sim- 
ple invitation.  In  order  to  clear  up  the  matter,  he 
thought  best  after  some  time  to  address  a  letter  to  the 
individual  in  question,  requesdng  him  to  explain  the 
reasons  which  had  induced  him  to  present  himself.  To 
this  he  replied  as  follows  : 

"In  Older  to  show  these  things  aright,  I  must  go  back  a 
piece.  I  was  at  that  time  a  member  of  that  strait  sect  called 
Presbyterians,  taught  many  curious  things,  as  election,  fore- 
ordination,  etc. ;  that  belief  in  these  things  was  necess.iry  ;  that 
this  faith  resulted  from  some  secret  impulse  ;  and  worse,  that 
I  could  not  believe  ;  and  finally,  ihut  I  must  hope  and  pray 
that  God  would  have  mercy  upon  me.  In  this  wilderness  I 
became  wearied,  turned  about  and  came  home  to  the  book  of 
God,  took  it  up  as  if  it  had  dropped  from  heaven,  and  read  it 
for  myself  just  one  year. 

"This  inquiry  led  me  to  see  that  God  so  loved  the  world  as 
to  give  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believed  on  him 
might  not  perlsli,  but  have  eternal  life.  I  then  inquired  how 
I  mnst  believe.  Paul  said,  'Faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and 
hearing  by  the  word  of  God."  Also,  that  faith  was  '  the  sub- 
stance of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen.' 
Peter  spoke  of  election,  saying,  '  Save  yourselves."  Paul  said, 
'  I  must  be  dead  to  sin  and  buried,  and  raised  with  Christ 
Jesus  to  newness  of  life.'  The  Saviour  said,  '  I  must  be  born 
again  if  I  would  enter  the  kingdom  of  God,' 

"Now,  here  it  was  I  discovered  myself  to  stand  in  the 
garden  of  nature  and  not  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  I 
learnt  that  of  this  kingdom  Peter  received  the  keys,  and  I  was 
anxious  to  see  what  he  would  do  with  them.  Jesus  said, 
'  Proclaim  the  gospel  to  all  nations;  he  that  believeth  and  is 
baptized  shall  be  saved,' etc.     I  then  moved  a  little  forward 


214         MEAfOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAM. 

till  I  found  theee  wordsi  *  And  they  were  al 
heart,  and  said  to  Peter  and  to  the  other  ap 
brethren,  what  shall  we  do?  Peter  said,  Rep 
tized  evci'y  one  of  yoii,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  C 
mission  of  sins,'  etc.  To  this  Scripture  I  ol 
saw  how  Peter  had  opened  the  kingdom  and 
but  to  my  great  disappointment  I  saw  no  n 
me,  though  I  prayed  much  and  oflen  for  it. 

"  Now,  my  brother,  I  will  answer  your  qi 
baptized  on  the  i8th  of  November,  1827,  an 
you  a  circumstance  which  occurred  a  few  days 
I  had  read  the  second  chapter  of  Acts,  wh 
myself  to  my  wife  as  follows  :  Oh  this  is  the 
the  thing  we  wish — the  remission  of  our  sins  ! 
hear  the  gospel  in  these  same  wonis  as  Peter 
hope  I  shall  some  day  hear  it,  and  the  first  r 
will  preach  the  gospel  thus,  with  him  will 
brother,  on  the  day  you  saw  me  come  into  thi 
my  heart  was  open  to  receive  the  word  of  i 
you  cried, '  The  Scripture  shall  no  longer  bt 
God  means  what  he  says.  Is  there  any  man  j 
take  God  at  his  word  and  be  baptized  for  t 
sins  P' — at  that  moment  my  feelings  were  such  I 
cried  out,  '  Glory  to  God  !  I  have  found  the  ms 
long  sought  for.'  So  I  entered  the  kingdom 
laid  hold  of  the  hope  set  before  me. 

"  Let  us,  then,  dear  brother,  strive  so  to  1: 
an  abundant  entrance  into  the  everlasting  1 
Ix>rd  Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming,  there  Ic 
heavenly  throng  in  a  song  of  praise  to  God  a 
for  ever  and  ever.  W 

Thti  enigma  was  thus  satisfactorily  soh 
a  matter  as  the  practical  restoration  of 
baptism  was  not  to  be  the  result  of  the 
or  public  efforts  merely  of  the  preacher, 
been  convinced  and  induced  to  present 


RMSPONSIBILITIBS  AND  TRIALS.  215 

baptism  at  his  Brst  or  second  discourse,  he  might  have 
supposed  that  by  his  own  power  or  superior  intelligence 
in  the  Scripture  he  had  caused  them  to  obey.  But  it 
was  ordered  otherwise,  that  "  the  excellency  of  the 
power"  might  be  seen  to  be  of  God  and  not  of  man. 
Mr.  Scott's  heart  and  mind  had  indeed  been  providen- 
tially prepared  and  strengthened  to  deliver  faithfully 
the  divine  message,  but  it  was  equally  necessary  that 
the  hearts  of  the  hearers  should  be  prepared  to  receive  it. 
Unfitted  by  false  theories  of  conversion  to  accept  the 
simple  truth,  and  without  one  modern  precedent  to  en- 
courage obedience  to  it,  a  special  adaptation  was  re- 
quired on  their  part,  which,  under  the  circumstances,  the 
preacher  was  unable  to  supply,  and  he  therefore  cast 
the  good  seed  of  the  kingdom  in  vain  until  it  happened 
to  fall  upon  the  good  soil  which  had  been  prepared  by 
God  alone. 

The  onerous  nature  of  the  task  assigned  to  Mr.  Scott 
on  this  cccasion  should,  however,  by  no  means  be  un- 
derrated. It  is  impossible  for  those  who  have  now  be- 
come familiarized  with  the  primitive  method,  to  conceive 
adequately  of  the  anxieties  and  fears  and  responsibilities 
which  attended  its  restoration.  The  sanctions  of  cus- 
tom and  the  complete  establishment  of  the  truth  before 
the  bar  of  public  sentiment  have  now  taken  away  the 
reproach  and  discredit  which  attached  to  the  first  ad- 
ministration of  baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins.  Then, 
the  introduction  of  such  a  practice  demanded  that  all 
the  cherished  interests  which  belong  to  position,  charac- 
ter and  life  should  be  imperiled,  and  that  all  the  odium 
and  hostility  which  exasperated  sectarian  feeling  could 
excite  should  be  directly  and  personally  encountered. 
To  have  been  willing  to  brave  such  consequences  for 
the  love  he  bore  to  truth,  and  from  his  deep  sense  of 


3\6         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMl 

religious  obligation,  must  for  ever  redound 
of  Walter  Scott,  and  the  more  when  the  obs 
from  his  own  somewhat  vacillating  and  tin 
considered.  It  is  true  that,  as  to  the  impo 
nance,  he  had  before  him  the  public  de 
Thomas  and  Alexander  Campbell,  which 
a  part  of  the  teachings  of  the  reformatoi 
But  it  is  equally  true  that  as  yet  no  direct 
application  had  been  made  of  these  teachi 
even  those  who  had  delivered  them  were 
ing  a  just  sense  of  their  importance, 
power  which  the  human  mind  possesses  o 
ing  things  abstractly,  and  of  separating  r 
in  reality  are  or  should  be  indissolubly  uni 
interposed  and  had  arrested  progress  at  th 
chasm  which  it  had  itself  created  betwe* 
practice.  The  same  illicit  severance,  in 
reference  to  the  very  same  question,  exist 
the  case  of  the  popular  religious  parties,  ' 
almost  without  exception,  assigned  to  bap 
position  and  declared  it  to  be  for  the  rem 
and  who,  nevertheless,  in  point  of  fact,  utti 
and  denied  the  legitimate  application  of  t 
trine.  Thus  the  Presbyterian  Confession  di 
xxviii.,  sec.  i : 

"  Baptism  is  a  sacrament  of  tlie  New  Testa 
by  Jcsiis  Christ,  not  only  for  the  solemn  ad 
p;irty  baptized  into  the  visible  Church,  but  al 
a  sign  and  seal  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  of  his 
Christ,  of  regeneration,  of  remission  of  sins,  ai 
up'  unto  God,  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  walk 
life." 

Calvin  himself  had  made  remission 
thing  in  baptism. 


ASSURANCE   OF  PARDON.  217  _ 

"Baptism,"  said  he  (Inst,  c.  xvi.,  p.  327),  "  resembles  a 
legal  instrument  properly  attested,  by  which  he  assures  us. 
that  all  our  sins  are  canceled,  effaced  and  obliterated  so  that 
they  will  never  appear  in  his  sight,  or  come  into  his  remem- 
brance, or  be  imputed  to  us.  For  he  commands  all  who  be- 
lieve to  be  baptized  for  the  remission  of  their  sins." 

John  Wesley  too  had  declared,  in  his  "  Comment.nry  on  the 
New  Testament"  (p.  ,■^50),  that  "Baptism  administered  to 
penitents  is  both  a  means  and  a  seal  of  pardon.  Nor  did  God 
ordinarily,"  he  adds,  "  in  the  primitive  Church,  bestow  this 
upon  any  unless  through  this  means." 

The  same  truth  was  equally  attested  by  Baptist  and 
Episcopal  creeds;  but  all  these  theoretic  concessions  to 
Scripture  teaching  remained  alike  perfectly  meaningless 
and  inoperative  in  a  practical  point  of  view ;  and  even 
the  more  emphatic  averments  of  the  Campbells  as  to 
the  purport  of  baptism  would  probably,  like  the  recorded 
declaration  of  Peter  himself  on  Pentecost,  have  re- 
mained fruitless,  had  not  a  guiding  Providence  unex- 
pectedly verified  the  correctness  of  the  doctrine  by  a 
direct  and  practical  application.  "  We  can  sympathize," 
said  Mr.  Campbell  afterward,  in  reference  to  this  matter, 
"  with  those  who  have  this  doctrine  in  their  own  creeds 
unregarded  and  unheeded  in  its  import  and  utility  ;  for 
we  exhibited  it  fully  in  our  debate  with  Mr.  McCalla  in 
1823,  without  feeling  its  great  importance  and  without 
beginning  to  practice  upon  its  tendencies  for  some  time 
afterward."  It  is,  hence,  proper  to  estimate  aright  the 
agency  through  which  a  blessing  of  such  inestimable 
value  as  the  personal  assurance  of  pardon  was  placed 
once  more  within  the  reach  of  believing  penitents. 

The  occurrences  at  New  Lisbon  were  soon  noised 
abroad,  and  occasioned  a  great  commotion.  From  the 
meeting  there,  Mr.  Scott  went  at  once  to  Warren  and 


ai8         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBEL 

held  a  successful  one  there  with  Elder  Bentley. 
Gaston,  entering  at  once  into  the  spirit  of  tl 
ment,  co-operated  earnestly  with  Mr.  Scott  at  su 
meetings.  All  the  leading  preachers  of  the  Asi 
as  well  as  others  of  the  Christian  Connection, 
to  adopt  that  primitive  order  of  the  different  ps 
gospel  which  was  tlien  no  less  a  novelty,  and  n 
portant  in  certain  points  of  view,  than  the  dist 
the  practical  relations  of  baptism,  to  which  it  h: 
directly  contributed.  Everywhere  the  confusi 
had  involved  the  subject  of  conversion  was  i 
the  mourning  bench  was  abandoned ;  an  i 
obedience  was  substituted  for  visionary  theorii 
divine  assurance  replaced  delusive  frames  and 
As  a  great  many  converts  were  now  made  to  t 
live  faith  and  received  into  the  churches,  those 
who  were  still  wedded  to  Regular  Baptist  us: 
pleased  at  seeing  these  wholly  disregarded, 
manifest  an  active  opposition,  which  subseqi 
the  case  of  two  or  three  churches,  resulted  in 
Mr.  Scott,  meanwhile,  fully  conscious  of  the  m 
nature  of  the  issues  he  had  evoked,  but  confidi 
power  of  the  gospel  and  all  aflame  with  zea 
rapidly,  like  a  meteor,  throughout  the  Western 
startling  the  people  by  the  abruptness  and  dire 
his  appeals,  but  exciting  many  to  inquiry  and  oi 
As  usual  under  such  circumstances,  the  cou 
tilled  with  exaggerated  rumors  and  with  the 
misrepresentations  of  both  his  doings  and  his  i 
Some  of  these  reports  coming  to  the  ear 
Campbell,  he  began  to  fear  that  Mr.  Scott's  pre 
had  betrayed  him  into  indiscretions  which  migl 
judicial  to  the  cause ;  and  upon  counseling 
father,  it  was  concluded  that  the  latter  should 


THEORY  AND  PRACTICE. 


219 


Western  Reserve  and  examine  for  himself  the  progress 
of  affairs.  Upon  arriving  early  in  the  spring,  he  heard 
Mr.  Scott's  presentations  of  the  gospel  and  witnessed 
his  direct  method  of  procedure  in  the  reception  of  con- 
verts with  surprise  and  pleasure.  He  saw  at  once  that 
what  he  and  his  son  Alexander  had  plainly  taught  was 
now  reduced  to  practice ;  that  the  simple  primitive 
method  of  administering  the  gospel  was  really  restored, 
and  that  the  rumors  which  had  reached  Bethany  were 
untrue.  He  therefore  concluded  to  remain  for  some 
time  in  this  inviting  field,  and  by  his  earnest  and  efficient 
labors  gave  additional  impetus  to  the  work.  From 
New  Lisbon  he  wrote  to  his  son  Alexander  on  April 
9th,  giving  his  impressions  as  follows : 


^^  I  perceive  that  theory  and  practice  in  religion,  as  well  as 
in  other  things,  are  matters  of  distinct  consideration.  .  .  .  We 
have  spoken  and  published  many  things  correctly  concerning 
the  ancient  gospel,  its  simplicity  and  perfect  adaptation  to  the 
present  state  of  mankind,  for  the  benign  and  gracious  pur- 
poses of  its  immediate  relief  and  complete  salvation ;  but  I 
must  confess  that,  in  respect  of  the  direct  exhibition  and  ap- 
plication of  it  for  that  blessed  purpose,  I  am  at  present,  for 
the  first  time,  upon  the  ground  where  the  thing  has  appeared 
to  be  practically  exhibited  to  the  proper  purpose.  ^  Compel 
them  to  come  in,'  saith  the  Lord,  '  that  my  house  may  be 
filled.' 

'^  Mr.  Scott  has  made  a  bold  push  to  accomplish  this  object, 
by  simply  and  boldly  stating  the  ancient  gospel  and  insisting 
upon  it ;  and  then  by  putting  the  question  generally  and  par- 
ticularly to  males  and  females,  old  and  young — Will  you 
come  to  Christ  and  be  baptized  for  the  remission  of  your  sins 
and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit?  Don't  you  believe  this 
blessed  gospel?  Then  come  away,  etc.,  etc.  This  elicits  a 
personal  conversation  ;  some  confess  faith  in  the  testimony — 
beg  time  to  think ;  others  consent — give  their  hands  to  be 


izo  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAM 

biiplized  as  soon  as  convenient;  others  deb 
friendly;  some  go  straight  to  the  water,  be  it 
and,  upon  the  whole,  none  appear  ofTended." 

About  this  time,  the  Restorationists  were 
efforts  on  the  Western  Reserve.  One  oft 
was  Aylett  Raines,  a  young  preacher  o 
than  ordinary  abilities  ;  in  stature,  five  ft 
with  light  hair,  penetrating  eyes  and  featu 
of  intelligence.  Having  heard  many  st 
about  Mr.  Scott's  doctrines  and  occasional 
he  became  filled  with  an  irrepressible  desin 
and  learning  that  he  was  to  preach  on  a 
at  Samuel  Robbins',  in  Windham,  he  resol 
Mr.  Raines  was  somewhat  fond  of  contro 
he  did  not  believe  in  water  baptism,  but  ii 
of  fire  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  had  been 
Mr.  Scott  was  in  the  habit  of  calling  upor 
for  any  objections  to  his  doctrine,  he  expei 
discussion  with  him,  as  he  stated  at  the  tii 
his  brethren  who  accompanied  him.  Mr 
from  the  first  chapter  of  First  Corinthians, 
the  points  of  the  gospel  in  the  order  in  \ 
arranged  them.  Mr.  Raines  was  so  impr 
correctness  of  what  he  heard,  and  so  unah 
fault  with  it,  that  he  felt  quite  confounded, 
his  friends  expected  him  to  reply  when  Mr 
for  objections.  Being  unwilling  to  oppose 
to  be  the  truth,  he  kept  his  seat,  and  whe 
to  close  the  meeting,  made  an  excellent  pr 
that  all  might  have  a  spirit  of  obedience,  e' 
care  to  introduce  his  favorite  petition  th 
have  a  Pentecostean  season  and  be  bapi 
Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire.  Next  day  Mr 
to  hear  Mr.  Scott  again,  hoping  that  he  i 


POWER  OF  TRUTH.  221 

more  successful  in  detecting  errors.  The  subject  of  the 
discourse  was  the  resurrection,  and  Mr.  Scott  read  the 
fifteenth  chapter  of  First  Corinthians.  For  this  chapter 
Restorationist  preachers  had  but  little  use,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  single  sentence  in  it — "As  in  Adam  all  die, 
even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive" — and  were 
generally  ignorant  of  its  general  scope  and  purport. 
In  the  hands,  however,  of  Walter  Scott,  who  was  accus- 
tomed to  take  the  Scriptures  connectedly,  this  chapter 
soon  presented  itself  to  Mr.  Raines  as  a  thing  of  life, 
and  made  to  him  a  revelation  of  such  lofty  trains  of 
thought  and  unspeakable  glories  that  his  heart  was 
touched,  and  he  found  his  prejudices  and  his  opposition 
fast  melting  away.  Two  days  afterward  he  heard  Mr. 
Scott  dehver  a  discourse  upon  the  two  covenants,  when 
he  discovered,  for  the  first  time,  that  he  had  heretofore 
been  unacquainted  with  the  differences  between  them, 
and  in  making  "  a  chaos  of  them,"  as  he  afterward 
stated,  "  had  been  preaching  the  darkness  that  was 
upon  the  face  of  the  deep."  Soon  after  this  he  heard 
Mr.  Scott  preach  on  the  subject  of  faith,  and  the  brilliant 
and  happy  manner  in  which  he  handled  the  eleventh 
chapter  of  Hebrews  and  expounded  the  nature  and  the 
power  of  faith,  completely  swept  away  from  the  mind 
of  Mr.  Raines  every  thought  of  opposition,  and  fully 
convinced  him  of  the  truth.  He  concluded,  however, 
not  to  be  precipitate  in  making  a  public  profession. 
Having  a  preaching  tour  of  several  weeks  before  him, 
he  resolved  that  he  would  fill  his  appointments  and 
preach  the  truth  as  he  now  understood  it,  openly  and 
candidly,  giving  to  his  brethren  the  opportunity  of  con- 
vincing him  of  any  error.  Their  arguments,  however, 
were  so  feeble  that  he  became  only  the  more  con- 
vinced that  what  he  had  heard,  and  now  read  with 


CHURCH   CORRESPOTfDBNCB.  223 

from  a  distance  the  fine-wooled  Merino  and  Saxony 
sheep,  to  which  he  thought  the  grasses  and  climate  of 
West  Virginia  well  adapted.  The  experiment  proving 
decidedly  successful,  he  soon  had  a  large  flock,  and  by 
his  representations  and  example  greatly  contributed  to 
the  introduction  of  that  sheep-husbandry  which  in  a  few 
years  replaced,  to  a  large  extent,  wasteful  methods  of 
agriculture  and  promoted  in  an  eminent  degree  thi 
prosperity  of  the  entire  region.  These  attentions  to 
material  interests,  however,  though  sufficiently  extended 
to  have  occupied  almost  the  entire  time  and  thoughts  of 
many  a  one,  were  with  Mr.  Campbell  mere  relaxa- 
tions from  those  earnest  religious  and  reformatory 
labors  to  which  his  life  was  devoted. 

During  the  past  year,  as  a  sort  of  sequel  to  his  essays 
on  the  "  Ancient  Order  of  Things,"  he  had  published 
some  church  letters,  which,  at  the  time,  created  much 
interest.  These  were  occasioned  by  a  circular  from  the 
church  at  New  York,  transmitted  in  i8i8,  to  various 
independent  churches  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland, 
giving  a  sketch  of  its  own  order  of  public  worship, 
along  with  its  views  in  brief  of  Christian  duty,  and 
requesting  in  return  a  similar  statement  from  each  of 
the  churches  addressed.  THis  circular,  with  the  letters 
it  elicited  from  the  churches  at  Glasgow  and  Edinburgh, 
in  Scotland;  Tubermore  and  Dublin,  in  Ireland,  and 
Manchester,  in  England,  presented  a  very  clear  and 
interesting  view  of  the  relative  progress  of  these  differ- 
ent churches.  The  general  agreement  and  the  Chris- 
tian spirit  which  the  letters  exhibited  served  to  confirm 
in  a  very  high  degree  the  advantages  of  the  apostolic 
order,  and  tended  greatly  to  promote  its  adoption 
among  the  reforming  churches  in  America.  They 
revealed,  however,  some  differences,  which  were  can- 


224         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAM. 

didly  and  kindly  presented  for  consid 
church  professing  its  desirci  as  well  as  its 
to  conform  still  more  closely  to  the  aposto 

In  speaking  of  the  views  presented  in 
Mr.  Campbell  highly  commended  the  m 
ment  in  all  the  essential  matters  of  the 
and  practice.  As  the  New  York  letter 
vealed  a  disposition  to  adhere  to  a  fixed  i 
order  of  worship,  based  upon  a  narrow 
method  of  construing  the  Scriptures,  and 
a  unity  of  opinion,  he  took  occasion  to  e: 
sent  from  such  rules  as  being  relics  of  pop 
men,"  said  he,  "  make  communion  in  reli 
dependent  on  uniformity  of  opinion,  th( 
love,  instead  of  the  love  of  God,  the  b 
and  elevate  matters  of  mere  speculation  : 
faith,  the  one  Lord  and  the  one  immersi 
rigid  observance  of  a  particular  order  of 
remarking  that  "  the  patriarchal  age  was 
the  Jewish  age  the  minority  and  the  Chi 
manhood  of  the  religious  world,  and  that 
condition  persons  are  allowed  to  have  a 
their  own  and  to  exercise  it,"  he  deprecati 
to  prescribe  positive  rules  in  matters  o 
diency. 

During  this  year  he  published  a  series  i 
the  "Ancient  Gospel,"  which,  as  he  said 
the  simple  facts  connected  with  the  worl 
the  redemption  of  man.  These  facts,  as  1 
to  show,  again  appeared  in  the  symbolic 
the  gospel.  In  the  Lord's  supper,  the  L( 
especially  in  the  immersion  of  a  believ« 
burial  and  resurrection  of  Christ  were  f 
the   grounds   of  justification    and   of   ho 


MILLENNIAL   HOPES.  225 

into  the  death  of  Christ,  buried  with  him  in  baptism, 
and  therein  raised  again  to  walk  in  a  new  life,  the 
penitent  believer  thus  "  put  on  Christ,"  and  of  necessity 
entered  into  the  enjoyment  of  his  salvation.  Having 
thus  "  put  on  Christ,"  it  now  became  his  duty  and  his 
happiness  to  "  walk  in  him,"  and  to  bring  forth  in  life 
and  conduct  the  fruits  of  that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise 
which  he  received  upon  the  obedience  of  faith.  Thus 
the  gospel  was  discovered  to  be  of  so  simple  a  nature 
as  to  be  perfectly  adapted  to  the  understanding  of  every 
creature,  and  yet  so  effective  in  its  direct  and  practical 
application,  through  its  expressive  ordinances,  as  to 
secure  to  the  penitent  the  divine  assurance  of  pardon, 
the  renewing  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  the  indwell- 
ing earnest  of  an  eternal  inheritance- 

The  wonderful  success  which  everywhere  attended 
the  primitive  gospel  thus  presented  by  its  advocates 
filled  them  with  the  most  ardent  hopes  that  the  per- 
plexed and  erroneous  religious  systems  of  the  day 
would  be  speedily  overthrown,  and  that  happy  millen- 
nial period  be  ushered  in  when  the  gospel  would  tri- 
umph and  Christ's  people  be  united.  These  fond  ex- 
pectations were  especially  cherished  by  Walter  Scott 
and  some  others  of  a  like  excitable  and  ardent  tempera- 
ment. Mr.  Campbell,  however,  while  he  shared  in 
them  to  some  extent,  was  too  well  aware  of  the  nature  , 
of  the  obstacles  in  the  way  to  anticipate  an  easy  victory. 
The  restoration  of  the  simple  gospel  and  its  institutions  ' 
to  the  world  was  by  no  means  all  that  was  to  be  accom- 
plished. As  for  himself,  there  was  yet  another  part  of 
the  work  for  which  Providence  had  destined  and  pecu- 
liarly fitted  him,  to  which  he  was  now  about  to  be 
called,  and  which  will  he  considered  in  the  following 
chapter. 


CHAPTER    VII, 

Skepttdsm— Natural  Theology— Socialism— Robrrt 
— Mahoning  Association — Basis  of  union — Proi 
Their  unselfish  devotion  to  the  cause 

MR.  CAMPBELL  had,  from  the 
discussion  in  the  pages  of  the 
tist."  As  he  sought  for  truth  alone,  i 
nothing  to  lose  in  giving  his  oppor 
with  himself,  and  publishing  all  they 
the  views  he  taught-  This  liberality 
ing  contrast  with  the  narrow  coursi 
sectarian  editors,  who,  while  they  a 
grossly  misrepresented  in  their  va 
denied  to  him  the  opportunity  to  cor 
pressions  made  upon  their  readers, 
ever,  their  course  was  consistent  with 
Thej'  had  adopted  certain  articles  of 
tionably  true,  and  did  not  wish  to  hai 
created  in  regard  to  them.  They  hat 
tainties,  and  very  naturally  felt  unwi 
doubts.  Mr.  Campbell  and  those  i 
other  hand,  had  begun  with  doubts,  ; 
might  end  with  certainties.  Conserv 
of  the  former,  but  progress  that  of 
religious  faith  and  practice  of  the  fo; 
typed  and  fixed,  and  to  them  change 
if  not  destruction  ;  those  of  the  latter 


INFIDELS  AND   SKEPTICS. 


227 


cess  of  formation,  and  to  these  change  only  implied 
an  increased  knowledge  of  truth  and  an  augmentation 
of  power.  The  discoveries  already  made  from  the 
sacred  oracles  had  revealed  to  Mr.  Campbell  the  sad 
defections  of  the  Christian  world  and  the  means  by 
which  the  Church  could  be  restored  to  its  original 
efficiency.  It  was  not  strange,  therefore,  that  he 
should  strive  to  awaken  religious  society  from  its  sleep 
of  error,  nor  was  it  singular  that  sectarians,  peacefully 
slumbering  on  the  couch  of  orthodoxy,  should  dislike 
to  be  disturbed.  They  accordingly,  in  gejfieral,  re- 
fused fair  discussion,  and  sought  to  evade  unwelcome 
issues,  either  by  misrepresentation  or  by  a  more  politic 
silence.  These  methods,  however,  were  peculiarly  dis- 
tasteful to  one  of  Mr.  Campbell's  open  temperament, 
who  seemed  to  realize  in  his  very  inmost  nature  the 
truth  of  what  is  so  well  said  by  Sir  William  Drum- 
mond  at  the  close  of  his  **  Academical  Qiaestions:" 
**  He  who  will  not  reason  is  a  bigot;  he  who  cannot 
is  afool^  and  he  -who  dare  not  is  a  slave, ^ 

The  fearless  and  straightforward  course  which  he 
adopted  made  a  very  favorable  impression,  not  only, 
as  has  been  seen,  on  many  who  were  identified  with 
the  various  religious  parties,  but  on  a  very  large  class 
outside  of  them,  who  had  found  so  many  contradictions, 
and,  as  they  thought,  absurdities  in  the  creeds,  and  so 
much  inconsistency  in  the  conduct  of  the  various  re- 
ligious parties,  that  they  had  fallen  into  difficulty  and 
doubt  in  regard  to  the  truth  of  religion  itself.  A  great 
many  of  those  denominated  *'  skeptics"  and  *'  infidels" 
were  doubtless  such  from  a  depraved  will,  which  re- 
fused to  weigh  impartially  the  Christian  evidences,  and 
yielded  a  credulous  assent  to  things  far  more  difficult 
to  believe  than  miracles.     A  still  larger  portion,  how- 


328         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBB 

ever,  consisted  of  men  of  clear  discernment  a 
purposes,  and  who  were  often  even  consp: 
virtue,  and  apparently  anxious  to  obtain  reli 
state  of  uncertainty,  which  they  felt  to  be  boi 
and  discreditable.  These  were  not  wholl 
religious  impressions,  but  while  they  could  i 
iidmire  the  character  of  Christ  and  the  mors 
teachings,  they  felt  themselves  unable  to  n 
tenets  of  any  of  the  different  sects,  which  th< 
inconsistent  with  reason.  Others  again  then 
no  means  inconsiderable  in  number,  who, 
influence  of  religious  teaching,  had  earnesi 
for  those  special  "experiences"  in  which 
trusted  for  their  hope  of  salvation,  and,  ha\ 
to  obtain  them,  had  come  to  doubt  the  truth  t 
altogether.  All  these  different  classes  felt 
tracted  to  Mr.  Campbell  when  they  founi 
admitted  them  to  present  their  difficulties  fre 
"  Christian  Baptist,"  and  that  they  were  not 
to  denunciation  and  abuse.  They  felt  also  p 
interested  by  the  fact  that  he  boldly  opposed 
and  their  theological  systems,  and  that  he  th 
in  some  measure  to  occupy  their  own  grou: 
as  they  had  no  idea  of  Christianity  except 
presented  in  these  modern  systems,  they  w 
little  surprised  that  Mr.  Campbell  could  ex 
as  he  did  and  yet  continue  a  believer,  and  th 
to  have  an  explanation  of  the  mystery.  To  l 
he  seemed  to  have  enveloped  the  bush  of  C 
in  flames,  and  they  desired  to  draw  near 
might  see  "  this  great  sight,  why  the  busi 
burned." 

With  Mr.  Campbell,  however,  Christiani 
sented  in  dogmatic  theology  was  something 


OBSTACLES   TO  BELIEF, 


229 


ferent  from  the  gospel  of  Christ.  In  his  view,  this 
consisted  in  a  few  simple  facts,  resting  upon  incontro- 
vertible evidences,  and  not  in  speculations,  theories 
and  perplexing  opinions.  Skeptical  objections,  based, 
as  they  usually  were,  upon  these,  he  could  at  once 
dispose  of  as  wholly  irrelevant,  while  his  own  im- 
pregnable fortress  of  simple  truth  presented  no  vul- 
nerable point  of  attack.  He  was  so  far,  therefore, 
from  dreading  the  results  of  controversy  with  the 
skeptical  that  he  took  a  peculiar  pleasure  in  it,  not 
only  because  he  sympathized  with  their  difficulties,  but 
because  infidelity  was  one  of  those  subjects  which  he 
had  thoroughly  investigated.  His  complete  mastery 
of  all  the  possible  trains  of  skeptical  thought,  and  the 
comprehensiveness  and  penetrating  power  of  his  mind, 
unequaled  in  logical  acumen,  in  ability  to  detect  false 
arguments  and  discover  true  ones,  and  which  could 
perceive  in  an  instant  the  relations  of  proposition  and 
proof,  gave  him  an  extraordinary  power  in  such  dis- 
cussions which  naturally  sought  every  suitable  oppor- 
tunity to  exert  itself.  He  was,  accordingly,  often  en- 
gaged in  them  both  publicly  and  privately,  and  was 
constantly  receiving  and  answering  the  inquiries  of 
unbelievers. 

He  had  received  in  July,  1826,  a  letter  from  a  young 
man  who  had  been  a  Methodist,  but  failing  to  realize, 
after  a  long  travail,  the  spiritual  change  he  had  been 
taught  to  expect,  became  at  length  doubtful  as  to  the 
truth  of  revealed  religion.  This  letter  Mr.  Campbell 
ptilDlished,  and  went  on  in  a  series  of  admirable  repli- 
cations, designed  for  the  benefit  of  skeptics  in  general, 
to  meet  and  remove  the  supposed  obstacles  to  belief 
suggested  by  his  correspondent. 

In  these  articles  he  began  to  apply  a  principle  which 

20 


23°         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPB, 

furnished  him  with  a  most  potent  and  origina 
in  favor  of  divine  revelation.  This  princi 
direct  opposition  to  the  one  assumed  in  work 
theology,  and  its  enunciation  by  Mr.  Campl 
surprised  and  confounded  the  skeptics,  wht 
accustomed  to  contend  against  the  oppositt 
surprised  to  find  Mr.  Campbell  going  evei 
yond  them  in  his  opposition  to  the  claims 
theology.  Assured  that  skeptics,  universall 
debted  to  revelation  for  their  ideas  of  Goc 
ceiving  that  they  then  mingled  these  with 
and  imaginations  of  their  own,  he  boldlj 
ground  that  no  one  from  nature  alone  cou 
quire  the  notion  of  God.  He  admitted  the 
idea  was  once  given  by  revelation,  its  trut! 
shown  and  illustrated  by  the  natural  world, 
nied  that  the  proposition  could  have  ever  beei 
by  nature,  or,  in  other  words,  that  man  left  t 
cise  of  his  five  senses,  could  ever  have  de 
any  material  source  the  idea  of  a  spiritua 
Supreme  Creator. 

Mr.  Campbell  had  long  been  con  vine 
schools  of  theology  of  every  kind  the  Bible 
systematically  deprived  of  its  true  glory  am 
and  human  reason,  under  the  guise  of  n 
ology,  substituted  in  its  place.  The  popular 
nature  revealed  the  idea  of  God  he  thought 
in  men's  beginning  to  reason  with  the  idea 
their  minds,  and  finally  imagining  that  they  h: 
it  by  reasoning. 

■'  All  (hat  the  Book  of  Nature  teaches,"  said  h 
correspondent  in  reference  to  this  subject,  ''  '\% 
animal  and  vegetable  is  dependent  on  its  own 
production.     The  whole  volume  does  not  afford 


A  NEW  ARGUMENT. 


231 


archetype  for  an  idea  of  any  animal  or  plant  being  dependent 
on  any  other  of  a  different  nature  and  kind  for  its  production. 
You  leap  over  the  distance  from  earth  to  heaven  in  your  rea- 
soning; or  rather  you  fledge  yourself  with  the  wings  of  faith, 
and  find  in  the  Bible  the  idea  of  all  things  being  dependent 
on  a  Being  unlike  any  other,  who  produces  no  being  like 
himself,  contrary  to  your  analogy  from  the  Book  of  Nature, 
and  who  produces  all  beings,  both  unlike  himself  and  one 
another.  You  flew  so  nimbly  and  so  easily  over  this  mighty 
gulf  that  you  were  not  conscious  that  you  had  got  out  of  the 
region  of  earth-born  ideas  altogether,  and  were  farther  than 
all  space  from  the  Volume  of  Nature  which  you  sat  down  to 
read.  .  .  . 

"  But  I  have  a  few  facts,  which,  on  your  principles,  are  in- 
explicable— on  mine,  they  are  easily  understood : 

"  I.  Not  one  of  the  terms  peculiarly  expressive  of  the  idea 
of  a  God,  such  as  spirit,  eternity,  immortality,  etc.,  are  to  be 
found  amongst  any  people  antecedent  to  their  being  possessed 
of  oral  or  written  revelation. 

"  2.  No  nation  or  individual  without  written  or  orkl  revela- 
tion can  be  found  with  a  single  idea  of  any  item  in  the  deist's 
creed. 

"  3.  All  the  deaf  and  dumb  who  have  been  made  to  hear 
and  speak,  or  who  have  been  taught  to  communicate  their 
ideas,  have  uniformly  and  universally  declared  that  an  idea 
of  a  God,  or  anything  under  that  name,  never  entered  their 
minds.  This  is  decisive  proof  that  the  knowledge  of  God 
enters  the  human  mind  by  the  ear^  or  by  communication, 
verbal  or  written. 

^^  4.  Not  one  of  the  idolatrous  nations  pretend  to  have  de- 
rived their  religion  from  reason." 

The  views,  then,  which  he  propounded,  based  upon  a 
careful  induction  from  the  above  facts,  were,  as  stated  in  his 
own  language,  as  follows : 

^^  I.  I  contend  that  no  man,  by  all  the  senses  and  powers 
of  reason  which  he  possesses,  with  all  the  data  before  him 
which  the  material  universe  affords,  can  originate  or  beget  in 


23a        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPB 

his  own  mind  the  idea  of  a  God  in  the  true  : 
word. 

"  2.  But  I  contend,  so  soon,  as  the  idea  of  I 
gested  to  the  mind,  everything  within  us  and  w 
tests,  bears  testimony  to  and  demonstrates  the  « 
attributes  of  such  a  Being. 

"  If  the  first  position  can  be  established,  it  folio 
cannot  he  a  rational  deist  on  earth.  If  the  seconi 
established,  there  cannot  be  an  atheist  amoi 
compos  mentis  of  the  human  race." 

The  novelty  of  these  views,  the  growing 
of  Mr.  Campbell  and  the  peculiar  circumsts 
times  naturally  directed  the  attention  of  a 
tion  of  the  community  to  the  individual  wi 
unceremoniously  with  the  dogmas  of  theo 
qualities  which  gave  him  this  conspicuit^ 
were  but  indications  of  his  fitness  for  the  fi 
which  Providence  had  assigned  to  him. 
he  had  been  occupied  in  delivering  Chris 
its  professed  friends,  but  he  was  soon  to  \ 
defend  it  from  its  open  enemies.  Hence,  if 
he  stood  higher  than  any  of  the  people,  it  v 
that  men  might  "  see  him  whom  the  Lord  1 
that  there  was  none  like  him  among  the  pec 
times,  indeed,  loudly  demanded  such  a 
Infidelity  had  of  late  been  pouring  into 
States  from  Europe  like  a  llood,  and  the  pE 
hand  when  the  Lord  was  to  "  lifl  up  a  stand: 
it.  The  remarkable  success  which  had  a 
arrangements  of  David  Dale,  at  the  New  La 
in  Scotland,  for  the  improvement  and  happ 
working-classes ;  the  ingenious  and  captivati 
of  communism  broached  by  Charles  Fourier, 
and   the  plausible  philosophy  of  the  "  soc 


JfEW  CO-OPBltATIVB  STSTBMS.  233 

earnestly  advocated  by  Robert  Owen,  the  son-in-law 
of  Mr.  Dale,  had  begun  to  create  a  strong  public  feel- 
ing, in  many  places,  in  favor  of  the  formation  of  co- 
operative societies.  Enthusiastic  foreigners,  filled  with 
ardent  hopes  of  effecting  a  complete  renovation  of 
human  society,  flocked  to  the  United  States  whose 
free  institutions  and  fresh  uncultivated  plains  furnished, 
they  thought,  the  most  favorable  conditions  for  their 
experiments.  Communities  were  speedily  organized 
and  territory  secured.  At  Kendal,  in  Stark  county, 
Ohio ;  at  New  Harmony,  in  Indiana,  and  at  various 
other  points,  operations  were  actually  commenced,  and 
men  of  ability  were  zealously  and  actively  employed  in 
commending  in  lectures,  pamphlets  and  other  publica- 
tions the  plans  and  principles  of  these  new  associations. 
At  this  period  success  seemed  everywhere  to  attend 
these  movements.  The  impressible  and  enterprising 
American  mind  soon  imbibed  the  spirit  of  the  system, 
and  projects  were  everywhere  set  on  foot  for  the  for- 
mation of  "  societies"  and  "  phalanxes"  of  various  de- 
scriptions. 

To  mere  economical  and  co-operative  arrangements 
for  the  promotion  of  social  welfare  no  just  objection, 
indeed,  could  be  made.  Mr.  Campbell  had  himself,  at 
a  former  period,  engaged  in  a  project  of  this  kind,  and 
looked  with  approval  on  the  management  and  prosperity 
of  such  industrial  communities  as  he  had  found  at  Zoar 
in  Ohio  and  elsewhere.  These,  however,  had  either 
confined  themselves  to  the  regulation  of  mere  tem- 
poral concerns,  leaving  the  religious  sentiments  of  indi- 
viduals entirely  free,  or  else  had  embodied  religion  as 
an  essential  part  of  their  scheme.  But  the  case  was 
wholly  different  with  most  of  the  new  co-operative  sys- 
tems now  proposed.     Their  adherents  seemed  to  think 


234  MEMOIRS   OP  ALEXANDER 

that  religion  was  directly  in  their  wa 
remodel  society,  and  they  therefon 
means  in  their  power,  to  destroy  ii 
was  especially  true  of  the  movement 
Owen,  from  which  everj'thing  of  a 
was  to  be  totally  excluded.  Upon 
considerable  society  had  already  bei 
Harmony,  in  Indiana,  to  which  \ 
orists  and  skeptics  of  every  grade,  ar 
cal  was  published  advocating  with  ( 
and  still  greater  assurance  their  prii 
and  of  socialism. 

Mr.  Campbell  had  for  some  time 
movements  at  a  distance.  When  1 
on  a  nearer  view,  that  they  were  arm 
he  at  once  ran  up  to  his  masthead 
cross  and  prepared  for  action.  In  o 
strength  of  opponents  whom  he  felt 
destiny  to  meet,  he  published  fiv 
"Robert  Owen  and  the  Social  Sys 
and  the  Social  System."  In  the  fii 
spoke  of  Mr.  Owen  and  his  enterpri: 

"  Ml'.  Owen  has  attracted  much  atte 
as  well  as  in  Britain,  from  the  singularity 
beiievolt'nt  nature  of  his  efforts  for  the  ar 
He  has  afforded  evidence  of '  mental  indi 
haps  surpassed  before.  His  talents,  et 
extraordinary  zeal  in  the  prosecution  < 
entillc  him  to  a  very  liberal  share  of  pu 
believe,  very  generally  admitted  that  he 
ested  as  far  as  respects  pecuniary  gain  ii 
and  is  doing  for  the  establishment  and 
social  system.  He  has  not  been  treated 
much  courtesy  by  many  editors,  both  p< 
who  have  animadverted  upon  his  prini 


"if£»'  HARMONY  GAZETTE."  235 

For  my  own  part,  I  have  felt  some  degree  of  sympathy  for 
him,  and  of  mortification,  too,  at  the  nibblings  of  his  op- 
ponents. .  .  . 

"Tl)e  benefits  resulting  from  a  co-operative  system  have 
been  appreliended  in  theory,  and  proved  by  experience  before 
we  heaid  of  Mr,  Owen  in  this  country.  A  social  system  of 
co-operation  may  be  grafted  on  any  system  of  religion,  true 
or  false ;  but  that  a  social  system  of  co-operation  can  at  all 
exist  without  religious  obligation  has  never  yet  been  proven  ; 
but  this  appears  to  be  the  experiment  now  on  hand  at  New 
Harmony,  Indiana.  In  this  Mr.  Owen  has  afforded  the  most 
convincing  proof  of  '  mental  independence.'  The  annals  of 
the  world  fail  to  present  one  single  league  or  confederation 
for  any  purpose  th.it  was  not  perfectly  ephemeral  without 
religion  of  some  kind  or  other.  I  have  no  notion  of  getting 
angry  with  Mr.  Owen,  or  of  belaboring  him  with  harsh  epi- 
thets for  hazarding  an  experiment  of  this  sort.  It  is  true,  in- 
deed, that  I  regret  that  any  person  born  in  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury, and  educated  in  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  should  have 
profited  so  little  by  the  circumstances  around  him,  and  should 
have  learned  so  little  from  all  that  has  gone  before  him,  as  to 
suppose  that  a  being  such  as  man  is  could  be  happy  in  any 
circumstances  without  the  hope  of  immortality  beyond  the 
grave." 

Having  made  this  prediction  of  failure,  which  in  a 
very  few  years  was  completely  fulfilled,  he  in  the  next 
number  thus  refers  to  the  "New  Harmony  Gazette," 
which  he  styles  ' '  the  focus  of  the  lights  of  skepticism  :" 

"  The  conductors  of  that  journal  are  amongst  the  most 
assiduous,  devoted  and  persevering  skeptics  of  the  nineteenth 
century.  The  Bible,  some  way  or  other,  stands  in  their  way, 
and  seems  to  be  inimical  to  some  favorite  scheme  or  darling 
hypothesis  of  the  builders  of  the  city  of  Mental  Independence. 
At  all  events,  we  have  not  seen  a  number  of  that  paper  in 
which  there  is  not  either  a  popgun  or  a  blunderbuss  dis- 
charged at  revelation." 


236         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAM! 

Amongst  other  preparations  for  the  ai 
gagement,  he  now  lays  down  certain  preli 
ments,  such  as — 

'*  I.  That  he  defends  the  Bible  and  no  m: 
religion,  nor  the  arguments  of  others  in  behal 
J.  Tliiit  revelation,  properly  speaking,  is  an  ex 
natural  things  which  could  not  be  known 
means,  so  that  whatever  can  be  known  by  reaw 
is  not  a  subject  of  revelation."  He  then  puts 
the  following  questions,  promising  to  take  his  [ 
tlie  burden  of  proof:  "  Is  there  a  God  who  ere 
And  if  answered  in  the  affirmative,  upon  wl 
this  known?  Is  there  a  spirit  in  man  which  1 
body  or  live  after  the  animal  life  is  extinct,  ( 
evidence  is  this  known?  Is  there  a  future  sta 
of  torment,  and  if  so,  upon  what  evidence  is  ll 

To  these  inquiries  the  '•  Gazette"  some  time 
the  following  answer:  "We  can  reply  to  the: 
neither  in  the  affirmative  nor  in  the  negative, 
no  positive  knowledge  on  any  of  these  subjecti 
soul,  heaven  and  hell,  if  such  existences  and  ] 
exist,  can  never,  from  their  nature,  become  co| 
senses  of  man.  I,  therefore,  cannot  conceive 
ever  be  able  to  acquire  information  regarding 
existence."  This  answer  Mr.  Campbell  pubj 
following  remarks:  "With  all  the  improvemi 
phy  for  eighteen  centuries  the  world  is  no  wis 
to  God  than  it  was  when  Paul  lived.  He  thei 
neither  Greece  nor  Rome  nor  Egypt,  by  all  th 
knew  God.  Even  to  this  day  the  God  that  wi 
Athens  is  unknown  in  New  Harmony  and  ti 
no  other  light  than  what  philosophy  affords, 
another  and  a  striking  proof:  the  people  of  the 
Independence'  are  said  to  have  the  best  libra 
tinent,  and  with  all  the  advantages  of  social 
best-improved  condition  of  human  nature,  hav 
extinguished  the  light  of  supernatural  revelal 


A   PROBLEM  FOR   SKEPTICS.  337 

candidly  and  honestly  avowed  that  whether  there  is  a  God  at 
all,  a  spirit  in  man  that  will  survive  his  mortal  body,  a  heaven 
or  hell)  is  to  them  unknown  and  unknowable.  This  is  the 
identical  conclusion  to  which  I  knew  most  certainly,  by  all 
the  knowledge  of  philosophy  which  I  possess,  they  would  be 
constrained  to  come.  For,  as  I  have  frequently  said,  there  is 
no  stopping-place  between  Deism  and  Atheism  ;  and  they  are 
lame  philosophers  who,  taking  philosophy  for  their  guide, 
profess  to  hold  with  Herbert,  Hume,  Gibbon  and  Paine  that 
there  is  a  God,  an  immortal  soul,  a  heaven  or  a  hell.  I  give 
great  praise  to  the  New  Harmony  philosophers  for  their  can- 
dor and  their  honesty  in  frankly  avowing  the  conclusion  which 
all  the  lights  they  have  authorize  them  to  maintain.  I  say 
they  are  good  philosophers.     They  have  reasoned  well." 

Having  thus  obtained  a  clear  statement  of  the  posi- 
tion occupied  by  the  New  Harmony  philosophers,  he  in 
a  subsequent  number  presented  to  them  the  tbllowing : 
"  A  Problem  :  J^or  Ike  Editor  of  the  '•Harmony  Gazette 

and  his  doubting  brethren  : 

"You  think  that  reason  cannot  originate  the  idea  of  an 
Eternal  First  Cause,  and  that  no  man  could  acquire  such  an 
idea  by  the  employment  of  his  senses  and  reason ;  and  you 
think  correctly.  You  think  also  that  the  Bible  is  not  a  super- 
natural  revelation — not  a  revelation  from  the  Deity  in  any 
sense.  These  things  premised,  gentlemen,  I  present  my 
problem  in  the  form  of  a  query  again  ; 

"  The  Christian  idea  of  an  Eternal  First  Cause  uncaused, 
or  of  a  God,  is  now  in  the  world  and  has  been  for  ages  im- 
memorial. You  say  it  could  not  enter  into  the  world  by 
reason,  and  it  did  not  enter  by  revelation.  Now,  as  you  are 
philosophers  and  historians,  and  have  all  the  means  of  know- 
ing,  how  did  it  come  into  the  worlds' 

The  surprise  of  the  skeptics  at  finding  Mr.  Campbell 
to  concur  in  the  conclusions  of  their  own  philosophy 
was  greatly  increased  when  they  found  their  argument 
thus  turned  against  themselves,  and  that  upon  their  own 


Z^S         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMP. 

principles  they  became  at  once  involved  i 
difficulty  from  which  there  was  no  escape, 
boasted  greatly  of  their  "  mental  indeper 
imagined  themselves  to  occupy  a  sphere 
quite  above  that  of  the  religious  portion 
munity,  but  in  coming  into  contact  with  M 
they  found  themselves  confronted  by  a  ": 
pendence"  much  greater  than  that  in 
boasted,  and  they  were  quite  at  a  loss  hov 
unexpected  assaults.  Caring  nothing  fi 
cal  defences  of  the  size  and  contents  of  N 
for  geological  explanations  of  the  Mosait 
creation,  in  order  to  refute  the  usual  pue 
skepticism,  he  had  attacked  at  once  the 
their  system.  Overleaping  the  outworks, 
vanced  at  once  upon  the  citadel,  and  the 
mony  Gazette,"  after  this  taste  of  his  qua! 
lor  a  time,  indisposed  to  renew  the  contest. 
Mr.  Campbell,  however,  had  no  idea  of 
advocates  of  the  "social  system  "to  continue 
nation  of  its  principles  unchallenged  or 
and  only  awaited  a  favorable  opportunity 
close  quarters  with  some  of  the  larger  vi 
opposing  foe.  In  February,  1828,  he  rec 
from  an  individual  at  Canton,  Ohio,  bewai! 
effects  produced  upon  the  community  ther 
tures  of  a  socialist — a  Dr.  Underbill. 

"For  two  months  or  more,"  said  this  corres 
has  been  indefatigably  engaged  in  preaching 
moral  philosophy  which  the  'New  Harmony 
tains.  He  is  going  from  place  to  place,  and  g 
I  understand,  are  converted  to  his  new  docti 
there  is  considerable  alarm  among  the  prcacht 
none  but  a  Roman  priest  undertook  to  contrad 


ROBERT  OWEN'S   CHALLENGE.  239 

very  little  eflect,  however.  Since  that  time  the  Deists  and 
frec-lli inkers  of  this  place  are  getting  quite  bold,  and  even 
the  apprentices  of  the  workshops  and  boys  in  the  streets 
begin  to  reason  away  and  rail  at  religion.  I  am  ashamed  for 
my  brethren,  the  English  preachers,  who  stand  hac)(  when 
that  man  speaketh,  and  only  talk  when  he  is  not  within  hear- 
ing. Dues  not  this  show  as  if  Christianity  could  not  be  de- 
fended against  its  enemies,  or  that  its  priests  were  too  luke- 
warm to  undertake  its  defence?  It  grieves  me  the  more 
since  Dr.  Underbill  has  challenged,  boldly,  every  one  who 
would  be  willing  to  question  his  views,  and  has  publicly  called 
for  opponents  to  his  sentiments." 

He  then  asks  if  Mr.  Campbell  will  not  come  and 
meet  him. 

Mr.  Campbell  replied  that  it  was  not  consistent  with 
his  views  of  propriety  to  go  out  of  his  way  to  meet  so 
obscure  an  individual  as  Dr.  Underbill,  but  that  if  his 
master,  Robert  Owen,  chose  to  enter  the  field  of  debate, 
he  would  meet  him.  He  said  he  thought  such  a  dis- 
cussion was  needed,  but  that  he  "  would  not  draw  a 
bow  save  at  the  king  of  the  skeptics  of  the  city  of  men- 
tal independence."  He  well  knew  how  to  "bide  his 
time,"  and  that  the  inferior  position  which  he  thus  as- 
signed to  Dr.  Underbill  would  have  the  best  effect  in 
checking  his  success,  and  inducing  the  doubting  to  await 
the  issue  of  a  discussion,  freely  proffered,  so  soon  as  a 
more  formidable  antagonist  should  appear  on  the  side 
of  skepticism.  Nor  had  he  long  to  wait.  Twenty- 
three  days,  indeed,  before  the  date  of  the  above  letter, 
Mr.  Owen  himself,  who  had  been  for  some  time  lectur- 
ing in  New  Orleans,  had  given  a  formal  challenge  to 
the  clergy  of  that  city  to  discuss  with  him  the  claims  of 
religion,  but  the  news  of  this  had  not  yet  reached  Beth- 
any. No  sooner,  however,  had  Mr.  Campbell  received 
the  intelligence,  and  learned  at  the  same  time  that  there 


240        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMl 

had  been  no  response  from  any  of  those  ad 
he  at  once  published  Mr.  Owen's  chalk 
prompt  acceptance  of  it. 

"  I  have  long  wondered,"  said  he,  "  w.hy  no 
lie  teachers  of  Christianity  have  appeared  in 
hist  blessed  hope  of  man.  This  skeptical  age 
the  proper  soil,  and  the  youth  of  this  generati 
elements  for  Mr.  Owen's  experiments.  I  have 
at  the  aspect  of  things  in  reference  to  this  libe 
less  sclieme.  Mr.  Owen,  a  gentleman  of  ve 
standing  as  a  scholar  and  capitalist,  of  mucli 
nevolence,  traveling  with  the  zeal  of  an  aj 
Europe  and  America,  disseminating  the  most 
timents  as  Christians  conceive,  finding  myriad 
drink,  as  the  thirsty  ox  swalloweth  water,  wha 
oft'er  against  the  Bible  and  the.  hope  of  immi 
unchecked  and  almost  unheeded  by  the  myriad 
and  teachers  of  the  Christian  religion.  If  noni 
philosopliers  composed  this  society,  it  might  b 
to  let  Mr.  Owen  and  his  scheme  of  things  f 
level.  But  while  a  few  of  the  seniors  disdaii 
aflect  to  disdain  his  scheme  of  things,  it  ough 
gotten  that  thousands  are  carried  away  as  cl 
wind  by  the  apparently  triumphant  manner 
Owen  moves  along. 

"  Impelled  by  these  considerations  and  oti- 
with  them,  we  feel  it  our  duty  to  propose  as 
Owen  says  in  his  challenge  before  us ;  '  I  pre 
as  I  have  already  attempted  to  do  in  my  lecturf 
religions  of  the  world  have  been  founded  upon 
of  mankind  ;  that  they  are  directly  opposed 
changing  laws  of  our  nature ;  that  they  have 
the  real  source  of  vice,  disunion  and  misery  of 
tion;  that  they  are  now  the  only  bar  to  the  I 
society  of  virtue,  of  intelligence,  of  charity  in 
sive  sense,  and  of  sincerity  and  kindness  amc 


CHALLENGE   ACCEPTED.  241 

human  family,  and  that  they  can  be  no  longer  maintained 
except  through  the  ignorance  of  the  mass  of  the  people  and 
the  tyranny  of  the  few  over  that  mass.' 

"  Now,  be  it  known  to  Mr.  Owen,  and  to  all  whom  it  may 
concern,  that  I,  relying  on  the  Author,  the  reasonableness  and 
the  excellency  of  the  Christian  religion,  will  engage  to  meet 
Mr.  Owen  any  time  within  one  year  from  this  date,  at  any 
place  equidistant  from  New  Harmony  and  Bethany,  such  as 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  or  Lexington,  Kentucky,  and  will  Chen  and 
there  undertake  to  show  that  Mr,  Owen  is  utterly  incompe- 
tent to  prove  the  positions  he  has  assumed,  in  a  public  debate, 
before  all  who  may  choose  to  attend  ;  to  be  moderated  or 
controlled  by  a  proper  tribunal,  and  to  be  conducted  in  per- 
fect good  order  from  day  to  day,  until  the  moderators  or  the 
parties,  or  the  congregation  or  a  majority  of  them,  are  satis- 
fied, as  may  afterward  be  agreed  upon.  I  propose,  moreover, 
that  a  competent  stenographer,  perfectly  disinterested,  shall 
be  employed  to  take  down  the  speeches  on  the  occasion  ;  that 
for  his  trouble  he  shall  have  the  exclusive  right  of  printing 
and  distributing  said  debate  throughout  the  United  States, 
and  thus  give  all  a  right  to  hear  or  read  whether  Mr,  Owen 
with  all  his  arguments,  benevolence  and  sincerity,  is  able  to 
do  what  he  has  proposed.  Afler  stating  these  prominent 
items,  I  leave  everything  else  open  to  negotiation  or  private 
arrangement. 

"  To  quote  the  words  of  Mr.  Owen,  '  With  feelings  of  per- 
fect good-will  to  you,  which  extend  also  in  perfect  sincerity 
to  all  mankind,  I  subscribe  myself  your  friend  in  a  just 
cause,'  Alexander  Campbell. 

"Bethany,  Va.,  April  25.  "828." 

Before  learning  the  acceptance  of  his  Orleans  chal- 
lenge by  Mr.  Campbell,  Mr.  Owen  had  noticed  the 
offer  made  in  the  Canton  correspondence,  and  on  the 
.  14th  of  May  addressed  a  letter  to  Mr.  Campbell,  con- 
senting to  meet  him,  and  proposing  a  sort  of  general 
assembly  of  the  skeptics  and  the  clergy  for  the  purpose 


2+2         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMP, 

of  a  full  discussion.  This  Mr.  Campbell 
not  likely  lo  result  beneficially,  and  inf 
Owen  that  he  had  already  accepted  his  C 
lenge  in  the  exact  terms  in  which  it  wa 
said  that  nothing  now  remained  but  to  ad 
liminaries.  "I  have,"  said  he,  in  conck 
a  litde  experience  in  public  discussions,  i 
that  I  shall  bo  able  to  maintain  perfect 
throughout  the  whole,  and  I  have  reaso 
that  your  philosophy  has  improved  your 
so  far  as  to  make  you  an  acceptable  dii 
few  weeks  afterward,  accordingly,  Mr. 
Mr.  C&mpbell  a  visit  in  order  to  make  tl 
arrangements.  Mr.  Campbell  found  him 
affable  and  pleasant  gentleman,  possess 
interesting  information.  Mr.  Owen,  on  h 
much  pleased  with  what  he  saw  of  Mr.  Ci 
appeared  greatly  delighted  with  the  beauti 
landscapes  to  which  Mr.  Campbell  called 
during  their  pleasant  walks  in  the  vicinity 
and  which,  he  assured  Mr.  Campbell,  per 
in  England  would  go  many  miles  to  see. 
their  excursions  about  the  farm,  they  c 
Campbell's  family  burying-ground,  when 
stopped  and  addressing  himself  to  Mr.  Cai 
"There  is  one  advantage  I  have  over  the 
am  not  afraid  (o  die.  Most  Christians 
death,  but  if  some  few  items  of  my  bi 
settled,  I  should  be  perfectly  willing  to 
moment."  "Well,"  answered  Mr.  Cam 
say  you  have  no  _/eor  in  death-;  have  you 
death?"  After  a  solemn  pause,  "  No,"  sail 
"Then,"  rejoined  Mr.  Campbell  (pointii 
standing  near),  "you  are  on  a  level  witl 


MAHONING  ASSOCIATION.  243 

He  has  led  till  he  is  satisfied,  and  stands  in  the  shade 
whisking  oiF  the  flies,  and  has  neither  kope  nor /ear 
in  death."  At  this  Mr.  Owen  smiled  and  evinced 
some  confusion,  but  was  quite  unable  to  deny  the  just- 
ness of  Mr.  Campbell's  inference.  As  he  was  now  on 
his  way  to  Europe,  and  did  not  expect  to  return  before 
the  beginning  of  winter,  he  desired  to  have  the  time 
of  the  discussion  fixed  for  the  second  Monday  of  the 
following  April.  This  being  regarded  as  a.  suitable 
season,  and  Cincinnati  being  agreed  on  as  the  place 
of  meeting,  the  amiable  philosopher,  with  the  kindest 
feelings,  bade  his  host  farewell. 

Shortly  after  his  departure,  Mr.  Campbell  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  S.  H,  Bakewell,  whom  he 
chose  not  only  in  deference  to  his  first  wife's  earnest 
wish,  but  in  accordance  with  his  own  deliberate  judg- 
ment, the  wisdom  of  which  the  future  amply  con- 
firmed. On  the  24th  of  the  preceding  January,  his 
eldest  daughter,  Jane,  had  been  married  to  Mr.  Albert 
G.  Ewing,  a  gentleman  of  high  standing  and  intelli- 
gence, residing  at  Nashville,  Tennessee-  And  as  they 
were  at  this  time  on  a  visit  to  Bethany,  they  concluded 
to  accompany  Mr.  Campbell  and  his  bride  to  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Mahoning  Association,  at  which  Mr.  Camp- 
bell was  to  deliver  the  introductory  discourse. 

This  meeting,  which  was  held  at  Warren,  was  well 
attended  and  was  an  occasion  of  great  interest.  One 
year  before,  the  Association  had  appointed  Walter  Scott 
as  evangelist,  little  expecting  the  events  which  were  so 
soon  to  follow,  and  on  which  many  now  looked  back 
with  thankfulness  and  wonder.  The  friends  of  pro- 
gress felt  that  a  decisive  victory  had  been  gained,  and 
that  the  primitive  method  of  administering  the  gospel 
had  indeed  reappeared  in  the  Church,  restoring  to  it 


344         MEMOtRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMl 

its  pristine  power  to  convert  the  nations, 
had  already  ieen  demonstrated  by  th« 
nearly  one  thousand  persons  to  the  chi 
quite  a  limited  area,  as  well  as  in  v 
triumphs  over  sectarian  opposition  and  ir 
union  of  preachers  and  people  of  disse^ 
They  rejoiced  that  the  reformatory  princi 
years  discussed  among  them  had  led  t< 
results,  and,  feeling  more  and  more  ass 
importance,  were  well  disposed  to  carry 
every  particular. 

This  disposition  was  soon  to  be  tested 
a  very  important  feature  of  the  proposei 
scriptural  basis  of  Christian  union.  Thf 
this  was  the  case  of  Aylett  Raines, 
publicly  identified  with  the  movement,  stil 
was  generally  understood,  his  Restoratio 
The  opponents  of  the  cause  had  not  faih 
its  adherents  with  tolerating  these  errors 
not  required  a  public  renunciation  of  tht 
were  many  in  the  Association  who  were  ■ 
upon  the  subject,  and  doubted  whethei 
circumstances  Mr.  Raines  could  be  recei 
Campbell  was  aware  of  this  state  of  fee 
as  the  subject  of  his  introductory  discoi 
teench  chapter  of  Romans,  dwelling  par 
the  injunction  in  the  first  verse  :  "  Him  tl 
the  faith  receive  ye,  but  not  to  doubtful 
or,  as  in  the  rendering  adopted  in  the 
from  Thompson,  "without  regard  to  < 
opinions." 

On  the  following  day  the  case  of  Mr 
formally  brought  before  the  Association 
borne,  who  wished  to  have  the  matter  def 


BASIS   OF  UNION  TESTED.  245 

Thomas  Campbell  immediately  rose  and  remarked  that 
such  a  question  was  only  calculated  to  create  discord 
among  the  brethren.  "  Brother  Raines,"  said  he,  "  has 
been  with  me  during  the  last  several  months,  and  we 
have  freely  unbosomed  ourselves  to  each  other.  He 
is  philosophically  a  Restorationist  and  I  am  a  Calvinist, 
but  notwithstanding  this  difference  of  opinion  between 
us,  I  would  put  my  right  hand  into  the  fire  and  have 
it  burnt  off  before  I  would  hold  up  my  hands  against 
him.  And  from  all  I  know  of  Brother  Raines,  if  I 
were  Paul,  I  would  have  him,  in  preference  to  any 
young  man  of  my  acquaintance,  to  be  my  Timothy." 
To  this  warm  commendation,  Mr.  Raines  at  a  subse- 
quent opportunity  responded  that  "if  he  were  Timo- 
thy, Thomas  Campbell  should  be  his  Paul."  Alex- 
ander Campbell  then  made  some  remarks,  again  de- 
fining the  difference  between  faith  and  opinion,  stating 
■  that  Mr.  Raines'  views  on  the  subject  of  the  restoration 
of  the  wicked  after  a  certain  amount  of  punishment 
could  be  regarded  as  nothing  but  an  opinion,  since 
there  was  not  a  passage  anywhere  in  the  writings  of 
prophets  or  apostles  affirming  it.  It  could  never  be 
considered  a  matter  of  belief,  since  there  was  no  testi- 
mony to  render  it  such.  He  therefore  proposed  that 
Mr.  Raines  should  express  his  willingness  to  preach 
the  gospel  as  the  apostles  preached  it,  and  to  retain 
his  opinions  as  private  property  in  harmony  with  the 
principles  of  the  Reformation.  If  he  would  do  this, 
he  assured  all  present  that  in  a  short  time  all  such 
opinions  would  fade  away  out  of  his  mind,  and  he 
would  see  such  a  freeness  and  fullness  in  the  gospel 
that  he  would  not  want  men  saved  if  they  would  not 
obey  it.  Walter  Scott  then  expressed  his  entire  con- 
currence in  the  views  given,  after  which  Mr.  Raines 


246         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAM 

made  the  declaration  proposed  by  Mr.  ' 
the  question  being  put  "  Whether  there  v 
Christ  by  which  a  brother  could  be  cc 
deported  himself  as  Mr.  Raines  proposi 
Association  decided  by  a  very  large  majc 
was  not.  Thus  the  case  was  setded,  th 
those  in  the  minority  fell  still  so  disturbei 
tion  of  Mr.  Raines  that  nothing  but  his 
careful  avoidance  of  any  effort  to  teach 
opinions  prevented  a  schism  which  at  I 
have  been  attended  with  disastrous  conse 
On  this  occasion  Mr.  Campbell  gave  ; 
able  proof  of  his  entire  freedom  from  the 
which  then  governed  religious  parties.  ! 
was  he  in  advance  of  the  time  that  some 
ciated  with  him  thought  he  had  in  some 
promised  the  principle  of  the  Reformatii 
required  assent  to  the  plain  teaching  of 
so  much  dissatisfied  were  some  who  hai 
meeting  with  a  view  of  uniting  with  the 
they  declined  doing  so.  He  recognized  i 
however,  one  who  sincerely  believed  th 
who  by  no  means  doubted  or  denied  tl 
certainty  of  the  future  punishment  of  the 
only  point  of  difficulty  was  the  duration 
ment,  in  regard  to  which  Mr.  Raines 
theory  to  the  effect  that  the  benevolence 
ultimately  eliminate  from  the  universe  al 
its  punishment  included — a  view  similar 
the  illustrious  Origen  and  the  celebrated  J 
well  as  by  other  individuals  amongst  the  "  i 
Mr.  Raines  believed  that  God  would  re\ 
eous  and  punish  the  wicked  according  t 
Mr.  Campbell  considered  this  to  be  the 


FAITH  AND  PHILOSOPHT.  H7 

the  divine  communications  on  the  subject,  and  that  con- 
jectures or  theories  as  to  anything  beyond  this  were 
mere  opinions  or  speculations.  As  Mr.  Raines'  agree- 
ment to  hold  these  views  in  private  as  mere  opinions 
was  an  admission  of  their  doubtfulness  and  their  want 
of  Scripture  authority,  and  his  engagement  to  teach  only 
what  the  Scripture  revealed  was  all  that  the  principles 
of  the  Reformation  demanded,  the  course  pursued  was 
obviously  correct.  It  gave  an  example,  however,  of  a 
freedom  of  thought  of  which  the  religious  community 
had'  never  dreamed,  and  presented  in  a  very  striking 
light  the  liberality  of  the  basis  of  Christian  union  advo- 
cated by  Mr.  Campbell. 

The  wisdom  of  his  position  in  this  case  was  fully 
borne  out  by  the  results.  Mr.  Raines  became  not  only 
one  of  the  ablest  and  most  successful  advocates  of  the 
cause,  but  it  was  not  long  until  his  favorite  theory  gave 
place  to  humbler  views  of  man's  ability  to  resolve  the 
mysteries  of  the  future ;  and  in  order  to  complete  the 
history  it  may  be  here  stated  that  in  1830  he  wrote  thus 
to  Mr.  Campbell : 

"  I  wish  to  inform  you  that  my  '  restoration! si'  sentiments 
have  been  slowly  and  imperceptibly  erased  from  my  mind  by 
the  ministry  of  Paul  and  Peter  and  some  other  illustrious 
preachers,  with  whose  discourses  and  writings,  I  need  not  tell 
you,  you  seem  to  be  intimately  acquainted.  After  my  im- 
mersion I  brought  my  mind,  as  much  as  I  possibly  could,  like 
a  blank  surface  to  the  ministry  of  the  new  institution,  and  by 
this  means  1  thhik  many  characters  of  truth  have  been  im- 
printed in  my  mind  which  did  not  formerly  exist  there.  .  .  . 
I  hope  during  tlie  remainder  of  my  days  to  devote  my  ener- 
gies, not  to  the  building  up  of  sectarian  systems,  but  to  the 
teaching  of  the  Word."  This  purpose  Mr,  Raines  has  fully 
accomplished  in  a  faithful  and  most  efficient  ministry  of  more 
than  forty  years,  and  recently  thus  refers  to  the  cherished  re- 


24S         ilBMOIRS  OP  ALEXANDER  CAIO'. 

membrancc  of  "  tbe  great  kindnos  and  nugi 
■trhidi,"  nays  be,  •*  Ibe  CimpbelU  and  Walur  Sc 
after  my  bapiicm,  and  before  I  was  convinced  ■ 
ouMicM  of  my  restorationisl  philosophy.  They 
me:  'It  i*  a  mere  philosophy,  liLe  Calvinism  a 
itm,  and  no  part  of  the  gospel.'  They  made  the 
little  value,  and  iberefore  not  wortb  conteodinj 
did  not  put  tbeniieivcs  in  conflict  witb  my  p! 
rather  urged  me  to  preach  the  gospel  in  matti 
did  ibe  apostles.  This  all  appeared  to  me  to  I 
and  I  did  it;  and  one  ofthe  consequences  was,  th 
phy  within  me  became  extinct,  having  no  long< 
contention  by  which  to  vmrn  or  the  crumb 
righteousness  upon  which  to  feed." 

Thus  has  it  ever  been  that  while  the 
attached  to  the  inferences  and  deductions  01 
son  has  originated  and  perpetuated  religic 
division,  a  sincere  submission  to  the  plain 
the  word  of  God  has  promoted  the  cause  ol 
and  peace. 

Immediately  after  Mr.  Campbell's  disco 
day,  it  was  agreed  that  the  usual  forms  of 
tion  should  be  dispensed  with,  in  order  t 
Mr.  Scott  a  report  of  his  year's  labor.  Th 
with  great  interest,  and  the  question  of  h 
ment  coming  up  afterward,  some  discussio 
restricting  his  labors  within  the  bounds  of  tl 
churches,  and  also  in  regard  to  his  reqi 
Association  would  appoint  as  his  fellow- 
Ham  Hayden,  for  whom  he  had  formed  a  \ 
ment,  and  who  would,  he  thought,  be  emi 
in  this  capacity.  Some  were  for  having 
confined  within  the  limits  of  the  church 
Scott  wished  to  be  at  liberty  to  go  to  any 
there  seemed  to  be  a  favorable  opening. 


WILLIAM  HA  TDBN.  349 

discussion,  he  arose  finally  and  said  with  much  ear- 
nestness of  nii-nner:  "Give  me  my  Bible,  my  head 
and  Brother  William  Hayden,  and  we  will  go  forth  to 
convert  the  world."  Sidney  Rigdon  then  moved  that 
"the  Association  give  to  Walter  Scott  his  Bible,  his 
head  and  Brother  William  Hayden,"  which  was  at 
once  agreed  to. 

William  Hayden  lived  at  this  time  in  Canjield.  He 
was  about  the  middle  stature,  thickset  and  athletic, 
with  a  complexion  naturally  rather  dark  and  much 
tanned  by  exposure ;  intelligent  light  gray  eyes ;  light 
hair ;  a  mouth  somewhat  large ;  his  countenance  ex- 
pressive of  both  firmness  and  kindly  feeling,  and  often 
wreathed  with  a  winning  smile.  He  was  then  in  his 
thirtieth  year,  having  been  born  June  30,  1799,  '** 
Rosstrevor  township,  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, from  which,  four  years  afterward,  his'father  with 
the  family  removed  to  Youngstown,  in  Ohio,  then  quite 
a  new  country. 

Religious  questions  had  engaged  his  attention  at  a 
very  early  period  of  life.  Before  he  was  twelve  he  had 
been  first  a  deist  and  then  an  atheist  in  his  sentiments, 
and  had  involved  himself  in  great  mental  perplexity. 
Possessing  good  reasoning  powers,  however,  and 
anxious  to  discover  the  truth,  he  was  at  length  re- 
lieved by  the  reflection  that  "  if  nothing  had  eternally 
or  -primarily  existed,  nothing  could  have  been  origi- 
nated, and  that  hence  a  cause  uncaused  was  self-evi- 
dent." His  belief  in  a  God  having  been  thus  restored, 
he  was  led  to  the  Scriptures  by  the  consideration  that, 
"  as  God  had  created  us,  we  were  not  too  insignificant 
for  him  to  govern  and  judge  us."  Delighted  with  the 
character  of  Christ  as  portrayed  in  the  New  Testament, 
and  conscious  of  his  need  of  salvation,  he,  for  a  long 


25°         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPB 

time,  attended  religious  meetings,  and  sou, 
sation  with  religious  persons.  He  was 
thoroughly  aroused  by  Christ's  declaratior 
36,  37  :  "  I  say  unto  you,  that  every  idle  wo 
shall  speak,  they  shall  give  account  thereoi 
of  judgment.  For  by  thy  words  thou  shah 
and  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  condemn* 
induced  to  accept  the  divine  mercy  in  Ch 
baptized  by  Elder  Joshua  Woodworth,  Ma 
and  united  with  the  Baptist  Church,  to  which 
already  belonged. 

He  became  a  reader  of  the  "  Christian  B 
after  its  publication,  and  rejoiced  in  that 
thought  and  of  investigation  which  it  incu 
which  was  so  congenial  to  his  own  mind 
however,  fondly  entertained  the  popular  vi 
version  and  when  he  heard  Walter  Scott  pi 
fall  of  1827,  his  direct  method  of  calling 
obedience  seemed  to  him  rash  and  dangen 
time  afterward,  hearing  that  Mr.  Scott  was 
a  school-house  near  Simon  Sacket's,  he 
miles  to  hear  him.  The  room  was  dense 
Mr.  Scott's  first  words  were:  "There  is  ni 
this  house  who  believes  that  God  means  wh 
William  Hayden  was  astounded,  and  was  ( 
of  rising  to  say  that  he  was  at  least  one  who 
when  the  assured  manner  of  the  speaker 
pause.  Mr,  Scott  went  on  to  show  that  m 
the  Bible  with  their  heads  full  of  religious  ! 
theories,  and  that  in  consequence  they  we: 
from  taking  the  Scriptures  in  any  sense 
with  these.  They  dared  not  take  the  plai 
sense  view  of  the  teaching  of  the  Bible,  or  1 
obvious  meaning  of  its  words,  lest  their  relig 


JOHN  HENRY.  251 

should  be  endangered.  That  system  gave  in  every 
case  the  law  of  interpretation,  and  the  true  sense  was 
neither  understood  nor  believed.  He  vindicated  the 
authority  of  God's  words  as  against^  every  system,  and 
exalted  their  sufficiency,  their  truthfulness,  their  trust- 
worthiness, showing  the  propriety  of  relying  upon  the 
divine  declarations  alone,  in  which  the  terms  of  salva- 
tion were  presented  to  us  for  our  immediate  acceptance. 
As  he  thus  discoursed  and  developed  the  sad  results  of 
the  prevailing  systems  which  had  closed  the  ears  and 
the  hearts  of  the  people  against  the  plain  words  of 
Scripture,  William  Hayden  felt  that  he  was  right,  and 
that  he  himself  heretofore  had  been  thus  blinded,  and 
had  not  really  believed  "  that  God  meant  what  he  said." 
A  complete  revolution  was  at  once  effected  in  his  mind  as 
he  meditated  upon  the  truths  he  had  heard.  The  Bible 
was  to  him  now  a  new  book.  The  gospel  was  a  simple 
development  of  God's  love,  adapted  to  every  creature, 
and  furnishing  to  every  one  who  believed  it  a  direct 
and  practical  assurance  of  acceptance.  To  preach  was 
no  longer  a  mockery,  pretending  to  offer  salvation  to  all, 
yet  announcing  that  this  was  nevertheless  reserved  for 
a  definite  pre-ordained  number  known  to  God  alone. 
On  the  contrary,  the  gospel  was  now  seen  to  be  truly 
the  power  of  God  to  every  one  who  believed  it,  and  he 
felt  that  he  could  now  offer  it  upon  its  own  simple  terms, 
as  such,  to  sinners. 

He  was  at  this  time  teaching  a  school  in  Austintown, 
and  in  February,  Adamson  Bentley  came  and  held  some 
meetings,  at  which  a  number  were  induced  to  submit  to 
the  gospel.  Among  these  was  his  particular  friend, 
John  Henry,  born  in  Chartiers  township,  Washington 
county,  Pennsylvania,  October  i,  1797,  and  removed  to 
Ohio  in  1803,  where  he  was  raised  a  strict  Presbyterian. 


253        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  C. 

He  was  a  man  of  very  singular  power 
esteemed.  Like  William  Hajden,  h 
musical  talents,  great  kindness  of  dis] 
pendent  spirit  and  the  gift  of  language 
loving,  enterprising  and  feariess,  his 
aided  William  Hayden  amidst  the  v 
which  the  cause  had  then  to  encounter 
him  in  his  first  efforts  at  public  speakii 
himself,  some  time  afterward  at  a  ba] 
disposed  persons  derided  and  created  a 
impelled  to  burst  forth  into  an  indign 
remonstrance,  which  revealed  to  hin 
power  over  an  audience  and  led  him  t 
to  public  speaking.  Having  a  remark 
readiness  of  utterance,  though  withi 
mind  or  the  graces  of  elocution,  he  co 
enchain  the  people  for  hours  by  his  ra 
expositions  of  scriptural  themes,  quoti; 
every  passage  in  the  Bible  relating  to  tl 
chapter  and  verse  without  a  mome 
pointed  and  keen  criticisms  upon  tl 
popular  teaching,  and  brief  but  pertine 
duty.  He  hence  became,  after  a  time 
reliable  and  effective  preachers  on  thi 
accession  of  John  Henry  and  his  intn 
the  cause  soon  led  to  the  formation 
Austintown  of  one  hundred  and  ten 
was  organized  by  Scott,  Bentley  and 
Hay  den  being  placed  over  it, 

The  arrangement  which  had  been  n 
ciation  in  appointing  the  latter  a  fe! 
Walter  Scott  proved  to  be  a  most  eff 
two  evangelists,  earnestly  co-operatinj 
voted  to  the  work,  seemed  to  carry  < 


INFANT  BAPTISM  EXAMINED.  253 

them.  Crowded  audiences  were  everywhere  in  attend- 
ance in  meeting-houses,  private  dwellings,  barns  or 
shady  groves ;  many  came  from  a  desire  to  listen  to 
the  charming  singing  of  William  Hayden,  and  were 
brought  over  to  the  truth  preached.  Throughout  this 
whole  region  sectarian  conversions  were  soon  almost 
entirely  suspended.  Preachers  who  ventured  to  oppose 
the  "  ancient  gospel"  lost  their  influence  and  were  for- 
saken by  many  of  their  adherents,  who  united  with  the 
Christian  churches.  A  great  number  also,  who  bad 
been  bewildered  by  the  inconsistent  doctrines  of  the  sec- 
tarian world  and  had  become  skeptical,  were  led  to  be- 
lieve and  obey  the  gospel,  while  a  number  of  gifted 
individuals  were  raised  up  even  from  the  humblest  walks 
of  life  to  become  efHcient  and  devoted  preachers,  and  to 
render  their  powerful  assistance  to  those  already  in  the 
field. 

One  of  these,  Jonas  Hartzel  (bom  October  19,  1803, 
in  Northampton  county,  Pennsylvania,  from  whence  the 
family  removed  to  Deerfield,  Ohio,  in  1805),  had  been 
brought  up  a  Presbyterian.  Some  time  in  1826,  his 
wife,  who  was  a  pious  Methodist,  said  to  him,  unex- 
pectedly, "What  Scripture  have  you  for  infant  baptism? 
If  you  have  any,  I  ask  for  it;  for  I  have  no  confidence 
in  my  baptism."  He  replied,  "Alice,  I  can  satisfy  you 
on  that  subject;"  and,  opening  the  Bible,  he  turned  to 
the  proof-texts  to  show  that  it  came  in  place  of  circum- 
cision ;  then  to  the  household  baptisms  and  the  saying, 
"  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me,"  etc. ;  but,  upon 
considering  these  passages,  his  logical  mind  could  find 
no  proof  in  them,  and,  greatly  mortified  and  disap- 
pointed, he  put  the  subject  off  for  the  time.  Too  honest 
with  himself,  however,  to  controvert  the  teachings  of  the 
Bible,  he  was,  after  some  further  inquiry,  fully  convinced 


254         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAM. 

that  infant  baptism  had  no  divine  author 
said,  "We  have  been  misled  by  our  reli 
We  have  been  deceived  in  a  plain  casi 
reference  to  baptism,  perhaps  we  have 
error  on  other  subjects  of  equal  or  greatt 
We  have  taken  our  religion  on  trust.  1 
the  Scriptures  to  confirm  our  creeds.  1 
read  the  Bible  to  form  our  religious  senti 
selves,  and  go  whithersoever  it  may  lead 
This  change  of  views  caused  great  gri 
tives  on  both  sides,  who  expostulated  an 
Mr.  Hartzel  and  his  wife  read  the  Scripti 
found  that  "  faith  came  by  hearing,"  and 
was  thus  brought  within  their  reach.  Th 
grew  warmer.  Mr.  Hartzel  argued  fror 
"that  as  baptism  was  for  remission  of  si 
preceded  by  faith  and  repentance,  it  coul 
lation  to  infants,"  Hearing  some  months 
Mr.  Campbell  taught  baptism  for  remissic 
a  subscriber  to  the  "  Christian  Baptist,"  ' 
occasionally  read,  and  was  delighted  w 
purpose  it  held  in  view — a  return  to  the  pi 
— a  restoration  rather  than  a  reformatio} 
ing  and  teaching  of  Christianity  as  it  wa: 
were  any  reformations  or  any  occasion  fc 
lowing  out  their  convictions,  Mr.  Haitzel 
were  immersed  on  the  second  Lord's  day 
and  in  August  of  this  same  year,  at  the  an 
he  saw  Mr.  Campbell  for  the  first  time 
identified  him  amongst  the  crowd  of  prt 
simple,  self-possessed  manners,  his  uncleri( 
and  unassuming  deportment.  When  Y 
speak,  he  was  charmed  with  the  artlessi 
livery  and  with  the  singular  power  of  his 


PUBLIC  LABORERS.  ^SS 

was  impressed  at  once  with  the  conviction  that  he  was 
one  of  those  remarkable  men  raised  up  by  Providence 
for  the  accomplishment  of  important  ends.  As  it  was 
the  custom  of  the  churches  now  rapidly  forming  every- 
where to  adopt  at  once  the  primitive  order  and  depend 
for  mutual  ediiication  upon  the  gifts  of  the  members, 
those  of  Mr.  Hartzel  did  not  remain  long  concealed. 
Possessing  a  vigorous  mind,  a  remarkably  clear  per- 
ception of  logical  relations,  a  sincere  love  of  truth  and 
a  Bne  command  of  language,  he  soon  became  distin- 
guished as  an  effective  and  able  preacher.  In  person 
he  is  tall  and  erect,  grave  in  manner,  in  complexion 
somewhat  swarthy,  with  regular  features,  intelligent 
dark  eyes,  full  and  handsome  lips,  and  in  speaking  has 
a  slightly  German  pronunciation  and  arrangement  of 
words. 

Many  others  there  were  who  at  this  period  were 
brought  forward  by  the  pressing  demand  of  the  times 
from  amidst  the  pursuits  of  husbandry  and  other  ordi- 
nary vocations  to  assume  the  position  of  preachers  of 
the  gospel.  However  useful  to  this  office  the  refine- 
ments of  education,  the  cause  could  not  now  wait  for 
the  slow  processes  of  scholastic  discipline  or  the  tedious 
preliminaries  of  a  college  course.  These  advantages, 
indeed,  were  far  from  being  essential,  since  the  gospel, 
now  freed  from  theological  speculations,  was  found  to 
be  adapted  to  the  humblest  capacity,  and  to  require 
nothing  but'  a  simple,  earnest  and  faithful  presentation 
in  order  to  the  conversion  of  sinners.  Hence,  quite  a 
number  of  individuals  of  little  culture  but  earnest  faith, 
inspired  by  the  love  of  truth  and  of  humanity,  entered 
into  the  field  of  public  labor,  and  many  of  them,  having 
fine  natural  abilities,  greatly  promoted  the  progress  of 
the  gospel.     To  those  already  mentioned  of  this  class 


356        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXAXDER  CAMPBELL. 

may  be  added  a  few  others  who  at  this  period  were 

prominent  advocates  of  the  cause.     Of '"^ ^ 

Bosworth,  distinguished  less  as  a  pre 
counselor,  and  as  a  man  of  resolute  : 
racter,  exercising  a  commanding  influ< 
native  of  Roxbury,  Plymouth  county 
bom  April  12,  1791.  He  came  to  Wa 
engaged  in  teaching,  but  afterward  cai 
mail  along  the  forest  paths  of  this  new 
and  was  the  first  messenger  to  convey 
news  of  Perry's  victory  on  Lake  E 
afterward  as  a  member  of  the  Ohio  D 
sheriff  of  Trumbull  county.  He  emb 
soon  after  it  began  to  be  preached  by  1 
continued  until  his  death,  April  4,  i8£ 
abated  interest  in  the  things  of  the  kin 
His  brother  Marcus,  three  years  y' 
to  Ohio  from  Roxbury  and  settled  in  E 
bull  county,  in  1816.  Soon  after,  he  4 
ligious  awakening  among  the  Presbyte 
imbibed  Baptist  views  in  early  life,  c 
suaded  that  sprinkling  was  baptism,  thi 
the  Scriptures  diligently  and  listened  t 
of  several  preachers.  He  and  his  \ 
iinmersed  by  Thomas  Miller  in  1S19,  • 
deacon  of  the  Baptist  church  formed  d 
ing  year  at  Braceville.  From  his 
speaking  abilities  he  was  soon  aUer 
engage  in  the  ministry,  and  while  atte: 
isters'  meetings  "  became  acquainted 
bell  and  with  the  principles  of  the  Re 
he  cordially  embraced.  Being  ordai 
1827,  he  gave  himself  ardently  to  the 
Walter  Scott  visited  Braceville,  preac 


EARLY  ADVOCATES   OF  REFORM. 


257 


remission  of  sins,  he,  after  careful  examination,  fully 
adopted  this  as  the  plain  doctrine  of  Scripture.  He 
was  a  man  of  average  height,  light  complexion  and 
sandy  hair,  extremely  plain  and  familiar,  but  unassum- 
ing in  his  manners.  As  a  speaker,  he  was  not  boister- 
ous or  vehement,  but  had  a  rapid  delivery,  and  was  so 
full  of  feeling  that  he  could  not  discourse  on  the  themes 
of  salvation  without  shedding  abundance  of  tears  and 
deeply  affecting  his  audience.  He  was  a  very  success- 
ful preacher,  and,  as  a  man,  universally  beloved, 
abounding  in  prayer,  in  hospitality  and  in  all  good 
works.  Appointed  by  the  Association  in  1829  to  itin- 
erate in  connection  with  W.  Scott,  A.  Bentley  and  W. 
Hayden,  he  was  the  means  of  converting  many,  and 
continued  his  labors  until  June  10,  1847,  when,  in  the 
triumphs  of  faith,  he  yielded  up  his  spirit  into  the  hands 
of  the  Lord  he  had  so  faithfully  served. 

Another  of  those  who  were  actively  engaged  at  this 
early  period  of  the  Reformation  was  Symonds  Rider,  a 
native  of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  born  November  20, 
1792,  and  settling  at  Hiram,  in  Portage  county,  Ohio, 
in  1814,  where  he  still  lives  and  has  ever  been  an  up- 
right and  prominent  citizen.  He  was  at  an  early  period 
much  devoted  to  the  Scriptures  and  particularly  solicit- 
ous in  regard  to  the  subject  of  conversion.  Having 
marked  and  carefully  considered  all  the  passages  rela- 
ting to  this  subject,  he  concluded  that  if  he  ever  met  a 
preacher  who  presented  the  gospel  just  as  he  read  it  in 
the  New  Testament,  he  would  yield  to  it.  In  June, 
1828,  he  heard  Thomas  Campbell  preach  in  Mantua, 
and  finding  what  he  heard  in  perfect  accordance  with 
what  he  read,  he  came  forward  promptly  at  the  first 
invitation  and  was  baptized  by  Reuben  Ferguson,  who 
had  recently  been  a  Methodist  preacher.     Being  a  man 


VOL.  II. — R 


22* 


258        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  C 

of  earnest  and  sincere  purpose  and  i 
Mr.  Rider  attained  considerable  disli 
speaker,  and  still  remains  elder  o 
church  at  Hiram. 

To  these  may  be  added  E.  B.  H 
living,  who,  born  in  Duchess  county, 
niary  28,  1792,  removed  to  Deerfieli 
Uniting  with  the  Methodists  there,  hf 
garded  creeds  and  all  legislation  on  tl 
bodies  as  invasions  of  Christ's  prerog 
in  conjunction  with  S.  McGowan, 
Methodist  preacher,  and  some  others, 
Scriptures  the  true  basis  of  organizati( 
which  they  endeavored  to  carry  out  ir 
a  storm  of  opposition.  Hearing  then  1 
in  Braceville,  Hubbard  and  Finch  we 
it.  Being  much  gratified  with  wh 
heard,  Marcus  Bosworth  was  invited 
which  he  did  in  June,  1828,  in  cc 
Bentley,  and  held  a  meeting  at  whic 
mersed,  and  the  church  was  fairly 
Hubbard  soon  engaged  in  preaching, 
effectual  service  to  the  cause  by  his 
continued  labors. 

In  this  connection  the  name  of  J( 
serves  mention.  Of  Quaker  lineage, 
ened  under  the  preaching  of  the  Chr 
but  soon  afterward,  hearing  Walter  £ 
into  the  clearer  light,  and  became  quitt 
powerful  both  in  argument  and  in  e 
man  he  was  eminently  social  and 
though  grave  in  his  deportment,  i 
fund  of  genuine  wit. 

Of  those  from  among  the  Baptist: 


26o        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER 

his  uncommon  gift  in  social  prayer, 
fested  a  humility,  suitableness  am 
equaled  and  impossible  to  describe 
full  of  faith  and  of  the  Holy  Spiri 
sober,  yielding  up  afler  a  hard  sti 
Baptist  theories,  and  heartily  embi 
views  of  the  gospel  which  were  brouf 
His  two  sons,  John  and  Zebedee,  ( 
early  period  into  the  ranks  of  the 
have  continued  faithfully  devoted  to 
truth — the  former  acting  as  deacon 
Garrettsville,  and  the  latter,  with 
scholarly  attainments,  self-acquired, 
aid  in  the  congregation  at  Hiram. 

Nor  were  there  wanting  some  w! 
from  positive  infidelity  to  the  publi 
primitive  faith.  Among  these  Amos 
field,  was  conspicuous.  He  was  a 
sonal  strength  and  courage,  tall,  be 
arrow,  and  somewhat  rough  in  mannc 
but  a  high-minded,  honorable  man, 
markably  quick  in  discernment,  and  \ 
and  contemning  everything  mean  or 
nevertheless,  a  bold,  fearless  infidel, 
the  rumor,  among  many  others  equal 
Scott  was  taking  the  people  by  force 
he  declared  that  such  things  should  r 
field.  Mr.  Scott  soon  came  to  fill  an 
on  a  week-day,  and  Allerton  attend 
ing  his  intention  to  interfere  to  pre\ 
upon  the  people.  At  the  sight  of 
frame,  his  flashing  dark  eyes,  his  i 
and  humble,  reverential  bearing,  he 
sensibly  softened,  and  soon  began  to 


FELLO  W' LABORERS, 


261 


in  the  subject  presented.  On  this  occasion  Mr.  Scott 
had  an  audience  densely  crowded,  and  being  animated 
with  more  than  usual  power,  he  surpassed  himself.  For 
three  full  hours  he  held  the  people  enchained  by  his 
clear  developments  and  vivid  descriptions  of  the  patri- 
archal, Jewish  and  Christian  dispensations,  pausing  for 
a  few  moments  between  each  division  while  a  song  was 
sung  by  Sister  Davis,  a  fine  singer  from  Wales.  Having 
completed  his  magnificent  oration,  and  given  a  compre- 
hensive view  of  the  entire  subject  of  religion  in  the  light 
of  the  Bible,  he  called  upon  the  audience  for  obedience 
to  the  gospel.  The  instant  the  invitation  was  given, 
Captain  AUerton  started  from  his  seat  and  strode  toward 
the  preacher,  while  the  people  who  knew  his  views  and 
expressed  purposes  trembled  for  the  results.  But  when 
the  strong  man  was  seen  to  bow  himself  in  humble  sub- 
mission to  the  claims  of  the  gospel,  which  he  had  now 
for  the  first  time  learned  to  understand  and  appreciate, 
an  intense  emotion  pervaded  the  entire  assembly,  and 
the  eyes  of  many  were  suflTused  with  tears.  Such  was 
the  effect  when  this  '*  tall  oak  of  Bashan,"  as  Mr.  Scott 
termed  him,  was  felled,  that  eleven  others  immediately 
came  forward,  and  a  flourishing  church  was  established 
at  Deerfield,  in  which  Mr.  AUerton  soon  became  one 
of  the  most  elBficient  members,  preaching  and  baptizing 
many,  noted  for  his  fluency  in  speech  and  wisdom  in 
council,  and,  though  variable  in  the  excellence  of  his 
public  efforts,  often  more  brilliant  than  others  who 
evinced  greater  uniformity  in  the  character  of  their 
public  addresses. 

All  these  were  warm  personal  friends  of  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, and  much  endeared  to  him  by  their  earnest  labors, 
their  self-sacrificing  spirit  and  their  zeal  for  the  restora- 
tion of  the  pure  and  simple  apostolic  gospel.     Under 


262  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER 

the  circumstances  then  existing,  it 
amount  of  moral  courage  to  oppose  th 
systems  and  to  brave  the  public  t 
estrangement  which  resulted.  To  ui 
advocacy  of  the  cause  demanded  thi 
estedness  and  an  unselfish  devotion 
and  written  against  a  salaried  cler 
newly-discovered  simplicity  of  the  j 
entirely  suspended  all  contribution; 
and  the  recently-formed  churches  hai 
co-operative  system  or  regular  plan  of 
the  individuals  who  felt  impelled  to 
the  spread  of  the  truth  were  obliged 
without  the  prospect  of  any  present 
to  the  neglect  of  their  own  affairs  a 
of  their  own  limited  means.  On  or 
them,  having  a  series  of  appointmenti 
without  a  horse  to  ride,  borrowed  on 
for  the  shoeing  of  which  he  was  t 
Having  filled  his  engagements  ant 
but  compliments,  he  had,  upon  his  r 
days  for  the  blacksmith  in  order  to  p 
incurred.  These  noble  men  were,  1 
of  the  churches  and  the  glory  of  Chr 
ment  of  the  cause  seemed  to  depe 
efforts  and  their  aggressive  onslauj 
ruptions  of  sectarianism.  Denouncii 
ing,  written  sermons  and  theologica 
ployed  universally  direct  extempon 
address,  and  taught  the  people  the 
connection,  accomplishing  a  mighty 
tion  of  multitudes  from  the  thraldom 
and  in  establishing  permanently  or 
serve  the  claims  of  the  primitive  gos 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Debate  with  Robert  Owen— IB  results— A  new  periodical— Effects  of  Mr. 
Campbell's  labors— Domestic  life — Millennial  views. 

AMIDST  his  arduous  labors  during  the  winter  of 
1829,  Mr.  Campbell  had  but  little  time  to  prepare 
for  the  approaching  debate  with  Mr.  Owen.  In  addition 
to  his  editorial  duties  and  his  immense  correspondence, 
as  well  as  his  ministerial  and  other  engagements,  he 
had  on  hand  a  new  edition  of  the  Testament  in  a  more 
portable  form,  demanding  great  attention.  Thrice- 
armed,  nevertheless,  in  the  justice  of  his  cause,  con- 
scious of  his  ability  to  expose  the  false  principles  of  the 
social  system,  and  "relying,"  as  he  said,  "upon  the 
Author  of  the  Christian  religion  "  for  aid  and  guidance, 
he  experienced  no  fear  as  to  the  result.  It  was  not, 
however,  his  chief  or  ulterior  object  merely  to  show  the 
weakness  of  Mr.  Owen's  system.  In  view  of  the  many 
different  forms  of  skepticism  prevailing,  and  of  the  false 
views  entertained  respecting  Christianity  itself,  his  pur- 
poses took  a  much  wider  range,  and  he  resolved  to  de- 
monstrate, from  his  own  point  of  view,  the  divine  origin 
of  the  Bible  and  the  simplicity,  truthfulness  and  saving 
power  of  the  apostolic  gospel. 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  Mr.  Owen  was  in  many  re- 
spects an  extraordinary  man,  and  that  he  performed  at 
this  time  no  unimportant  part  in  the  world's  affairs. 
Bom  at  Newtown,  Wales,  in  1769,  he  was  so  precocious 


264         MEMOIRS   OF  ALBXANDBh 

that,  according  to  his  own  account, 
a  school  at  tne  age  of  seven  and  ui 
He  maintained  himself  as  a  shopn 
and  seems  to  have  had  something 
him  that  he  was  treated  with  unco 
and  liberality.  At  the  age  of  eig 
partner  in  a  cotton-mill  where  foi 
ployed,  Arkwright's  machinery  hi 
introduced.  He  was  prosperous,  a 
one  lucrative  position  to  another,  1 
Dale  of  Glasgow  established  the 
Mr.  Owen,  who  had  now  become 
placed  finally  at  the  head  of  the 
which  some  two  thousand  persons  d 
Entering  fully  into  all  the  benevo 
Dale  for  the  happiness  and  improve 
classes,  he  displayed  an  uncommon 
of  association  and  in  systematizing 
sistence,  clothing,  education,  leisur 
and  in  the  management  of  the  mill 
that  everything  requiring  the  exer 
trative  faculties  was  of  a  rare  qu 
In  the  course  of  ten  years,  while 
ruin  from  his  novel  schemes,  he  boi 
at  New  Lanark  for  $420,cxx>.  In  : 
time  he  and  his  new  partners  had  g 
he  bought  them  out  for  $570,000 — 1 
able  than  conclusive  as  to  his  unco: 
conduct  of  affairs. 

Such  was  the  success  of  his  ir 
educational  plans  that  his  fame  w 
tended,  and  many  intelligent  theori 
omy  came  to  him  to  learn  his  met 
the  belief  that  his  plans  would  r 


INFANT-SCHOOL   STSTBM.  265 

society,  he  became  a  propagandist.  He  published 
various  tracts  and  submitted  his  schemes  to  the  govern- 
ments of  Europe  and  America.  He  visited  foreign 
countries  to  communicate  personally  with  leading  men, 
and  presented  an  explanatory  memorial  to  the  Congress 
of  sovereigns  at  Aix  la  Chapelle  in  181S.  While  in 
Austria,  Prince  Metternich  invited  him  to  a  succession 
of  interviews,  and  employed  government  clerks  for 
many  days  in  registering  conversations  and  copying 
documents  relating  to  the  "  Social  System."  The  arbi- 
trary governments  of  Europe  found  much  in  his  schemes 
of  organization  to  suit  their  purposes,  and  even  the 
Prussian  system  of  education  is  supposed  to  owe  much 
of  its  discipline,  as  well  as  its  rigid  and  sedulous  appli- 
cation in  practice,  to  the  views  of  Robert  Owen.  As 
there  could  be  no  question  in  regard  to  the  disinterested- 
ness of  his  motives  or  the  benevolence  of  his  intentions, 
his  zeal  ani}  activity  gained  many  friends  and  extended 
his  influence  abroad.  At  home  Southey  eulogized  him, 
t  and  in  America  the  government  of  Mexico  offered  him 
a  district  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  broad,  including 
the  then  unknown  gold  region  of  California,  in  order 
that  his  experiments  might  be  tried  upon  a  grand  scale. 
It  was  to  see  about  this  grant  that  he  visited  Mexico, 
under  the  auspices  of  the  British  Cabinet,  about  two 
months  before  the  time  appointed  for  his  debate  with 
Mr.  Campbell. 

Mr.  Owen  is  entitled  to  whatever  credit  belongs  to  the 
establishment  of  the  infant-school  system.  Many  had 
previously  conceived  the  idea,  but  he  was  the  first  to 
carry  it  into  practice  at  New  Lanark,  where  he  managed 
to  surround  the  children  with  such  "  happy  circum- 
stances" that  everything  seemed  to  succeed  to  his 
wishes ;  and  so  great  was  the  hope  created  of  the  re- 


266        MEMOIRS  OP  ALEXANDER  CAA 

demption  of  the  infant  population  of  tl 
when  Brougham  reported  to  his  parlian 
and  others  what  he  had  seen  at  New  Lai 
jointly  set  up  an  infant  school  in  We 
Owen  agreeing  to  send  James  Buchana 
of  the  school  at  New  Lanark,  to  superini 
experiments  showed  that  infantile  educat 
well  under  the  mild  system  adopted ;  h 
also  in  due  time  developed  that  mortal 
children  was  increased  in  proportion  to 
from  the  natural  influences  of  the  fan 
healthful  impressions  produced  upon  i 
minds  in  different  stages  of  developmer 
fearful  mortality  from  brain  disease  amor 
of  infant  schools  led  to  their  abandonm 
years. 

As  Mr.  Owen's  plans  were  designed 
the  promotion  of  man's  material  interests 
provision  whatever  for  his  spiritual  wants 
became  a  disturbing  element  in  the  practi 
his  plans,  and  the  diversity  of  men's  beli 
the  way  of  his  "  Social  System."  He  th 
fore,  necessary  to  success  to  put  religior 
the  way,  so  that  men  might  be  free  to  dev 
time  and  faculties  to  the  business  and  the 
the  present  life.  Believing  the  United  S 
State  religion  existed,  to  be  best  suited 
ments,  he  purchased,  in  1824,  the  prop' 
to  the  Rappites,  in  Indiana,  consisting  of 
New  Harmony  and  thirty  thousand  acres 
he  soon  collected  a  community  of  several 
sons,  and  where,  under  the  influence  of  z 
the  co-operative  system  seemed  for  a  tim 
highest  hopes  of  its  advocates.     Mr.  ( 


INTEREST  OF  THE  PUBLIC. 


267 


constitutionally  sanguine,  was  so  confident  of  the  suc- 
cess of  his  principles  as  to  assert  that,  in  the  course  of 
three  years,  the  city  of  Cincinnati  would  be  depopulated 
by  the  migration  of  its  citizens  to  New  Harmony.  A 
very  short  time,  however,  was  sufficient  to  dispel  this 
illusion,  and  before  the  period  fixed  in  his  prediction 
had  expired  this  seemed  more  likely  to  be  fulfilled  in 
regard  to  New  Harmony  itself,  through  the  discords  and 
disappointments  which  were  constantly  occurring,  and 
which  drove  oflT  many  to  distant  cities.  These  ominous 
occurrences  failed,  nevertheless,  to  disturb  the  equa- 
nimity or  the  confidence  of  Mr.  Owen,  and  since  the 
religions  of  the  world,  in  his  superficial  view  of  human 
society,  seemed  to  be  the  occasion  of  much  of  the  dis- 
cord and  division  that  everywhere  prevailed,  and  **  to 
contain  in  them,"  as  he  said,  "  the  seeds  and  the  germs 
of  every  evil  that  the  human  mind  can  conceive,"  he 
became  more  and  more  averse  to  them.  He  was  hence 
mduced,  in  his  New  Orleans  challenge,  to  assail  them 
publicly,  having  been  specially  moved  thereto  by  cer- 
tain articles  which  appeared  in  the  newspapers  proceed- 
ing from  some  of  the  clergy,  and  giving  an  erroneous 
view  of  his  principles  and  plans.  In  consequence  of 
the  acceptance  of  his  challenge  by  Mr.  Campbell,  he 
was  now  about  to  appear  in  Cincinnati  (which,  in  utter 
disregard  of  his  prediction,  had  persisted  in  increasing 
rather  than  diminishing  its  population),  in  order  to  prove 
that  religion  was  the  greatest  bar  to  the  supreme  happi- 
ness of  the  world. 

The  importance  of  the  subject  and  the  reputation  of 
the  disputants  had  created  an  intense  and  widespread 
interest  in  the  discussion,  so  that  when  the  time  arrived 
many  persons  were  in  attendance,  some  of  whom  had 
come  even  from  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Virginia, 


368         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPL 

Tennessee  and  Mississippi.  Application  w 
Dr.  Wilson  tor  the  use  of  his  meeting-h( 
was  the  largest  in  the  city,  but  this  having  h' 
the  Methodist  society  cheerfully  granted  t 
house  for  the  purpose.  Mr.  Owen  chose  as 
Rev.  Timothy  Flint,  Col.  Francis  Carr 
Starr,  Esq.  Mr.  Campbell  selected  Judj 
Col.  Samuel  W.  Davis  and  Major  Daniel  Gi 
six  chose  Rev.  Oliver  M.  Spencer,  and  Jui 
was  appointed  chairman.  It- was  agreed  th 
putant  should  speak  alternately  half  an  h< 
but  not  more  except  by  consent  of  tlie 
Charles  H.  Sims,  stenographer,  was  appoi 
down  the  speeches  in  order  to  their  publica 
benefit  of  the  parties,  and  matters  being  tV 
the  discussion  began  on  Monday,  April  131 
tinned,  with  the  intermission  of  one  Lord's  d 
twenty-first. 

This  debate — if  debate  it  may  be  callec 
parties  hardly  ever  came  into  logical  conflict- 
with  great  attention  by  a  large  and  highl 
auditory.  At  the  commencement,  the  pi 
great  that  many  were  unable  to  obtain  seal 
forced  after  a  day  or  two  to  return  to  their 
was  computed  that  on  each  successive  day 
,  there  were  not  less  than  twelve  hundred  pi 
"^  ent,  and  the  good  order  and  decorum  whicl 
prevailed  in  this  large  assembly,  and  tl: 
manifested  to  understand  the  subjects  pre: 
never,  on  any  occasion,  excelled.  Mr.  Owi 
explaining  the  cause  of  the  meeting,  and  gi 
account  of  his  European  experiments,  in  tl 
which  he  professed  to  have  discovered  ce 
of  human  nature, "  a  knowledge  of  whicl 


TRIUMPHS  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  269 

thought,  abolish  religion,  marriage  and  private  pro- 
perty, the  three  "  formidable  prejudices  which,"  as  he 
stated,  "  ignorance  of  these  laws  had  made  almost  uni- 
versal," and  to  which  he  attributed  the  vice  and  misery 
of  mankind. 

Mr.  Campbell,  in  his  opening  speech,  the  only  one 
he  prepared  beforehand,  after  apologizing  for  bringing 
the  evidences  of  the  Christian  religion  into  debate,  as 
though  they  were  yet  matters  to  be  contested,  whichhe 
could  not  admit,  referred  to  the  unkind  and  denunciatory 
style  in  which  skeptics  were  generally  treated  by  the 
advocates  of  Christianity,  and  to  the  rapid  increase  of 
infidelity,  in  the  land,  owing,  as  he  thought,  to  the  lives 
of  Christian  professors,  the  sectarian  spirit  of  the  age 
and  the  absurd  tenets  and  opinions  taught  as  Chris- 
tianity. He  then  stated  that  he  had  agreed  to  the  dis- 
cussion, not  with  the  hope  of  convincing  Mr.  Owen, 
but  for  the  sake  of  the'doubting,  wavering  and  unset- 
tled public  who  were  in  danger  of  being  carried  off  as 
with  a  flood  by  the  infidel  theories  so  diligently  incul- 
cated, and  that  he  was  prepared  to  show  that  there  was 
all  the  reason  which  rational  beings  could  demand  for 
the  sincere  belief  and  cordial  reception  of  the  Christian 
religion.  Passing  thence  to  the  early  struggles  of 
Christianity,  he  dwelt  eloquently  on  its  glorious  tri- 
umphs over  the  nations  by  means  of  its  evidences  and 
its  divine  principles  of  self-denial,  humility,  patience 
and  courage,  and  upon  the  love,  purity  and  peace,  the 
joys  and  hopes,  which  it  imparted,  and  contrasted  these 
with  the  rewards  of  disbelief,  sensual  indulgence  and 
everlasting  death.  Glancing  at  some  of  the  material- 
istic schemes  and  their  degrading  principles,  he  pre- 
sented some  general  ideas  of  the  plan  he  would  pursue 
if  he  were  at  liberty  to  choose  a  method  co-extensive 


ayo         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMl 

with  the  whole  range  of  skepticism,  and  c 
impressive  admonition  to   the   audience 
the  ineffable  importance  of  the   great  q 
pending : 

"It  is  not,"  said  he,  "the  ordinary  affairs' 
fleeting  and  transitory  concerns  of  to-ilay  or 
is  not  whether  we  shall  live  all  freemen  or  di 
is  not  the  momentary  affairs  of  empire  or 
charms  of  dominion — nay,  indeed,  all  Ihese  a 
of  childhood,  the  sportive  excursions  of  youtli 
trasted  with  the  questions,  What  is  man? 
hef  Whither  does  he gof  Is  he  a  mortal  ( 
being?  Is  he  doomed  to  spring  up  like  gras 
flower,  drop  his  seed  into  the  earth  and  die  for 
no  object  of  future  hope  ?  No  God — no  heav 
society  to  be  known  or  enjoyed  ?  Are  all  the  | 
trious  men  and  women  who  have  lived  before 
wasted  and  gone  for  ever?  After  a  few  shor 
when  the  enjoyments  and  toils  of  life  are  o 
relish  for  social  enjoyment  and  our  desires  I 
the  fountain  of  life  are  most  acute,  must  we  I 
and  close  our  eyes  in  the  desolating  and  app. 
of  never  opening  them  again — of  never  tasting 
which  a  state  of  discipline  and  trial  has  so 
These  are  the  awful  and  sublime  merits  of 
issue !  It  is  not  what  we  shall  eat,  nor  what  \ 
unless  we  shall  be  proved  to  be  mere  animals  ; 
we  live  or  die  for  ever?  It  is,  as  beautifully 
Christian  poet : 

'  Shall  spring  «ver  visit  the  mouldering  un 
Shall  day  ever  dawn  on  the  night  of  the  ( 

This  address  made  a  very  marked  im] 
the  audience,  many  of  whom,  from  their 
notion  of  Mr.  Owen's  abilities,  had  grea 
tlie  fortunes  of  Christianity.  The  powei 
the  subject  already  indicated  in  Mr.  Campt 


A   DEFECTIVE   CODE.  2^l 

his  manifest  consciousness  of  power,  and  his  eloquent 
and  truthful  words,  thrilled  every  Christian  heart;  all 
fears  were  banished,  and  the  unbidden  tear  was  seen  to 
trickle  from  many  eyes. 

Mr.  Owen  in  his  next  address  commenced  the  read- 
ing of  a  manuscript  of  nearly  two  hundred  pages 
foolscap  folio,  which  he  had  prepared,  and  to  which 
he  continued  to  adhere  throughout  the  discussion.  In 
this  he  had  laid  down  twelve  positions,  which  he  termed 
"facts,"  upon  which  he  relied  as  the  entire  ground- 
work of  that  "Social  System"  by  which  he  expected 
to  renovate  the  world.  Upon  these  "  facts,"  chiefly 
mere  commonplace  truisms,  aiBrming  the  power  of 
"organization"  and  "circumstances"  to  mould  and 
modify  human  character,  and  which  left  entirely  out 
of  view  man's  spiritual  nature,  and  contemplated  him 
as  a  mere  "  effect  of  causes  irresistible  in  their  influ- 
ence," and  as  consequently  undeserving  of  praise  or 
censure,  he  descanted  during  the  entire  time  of  the 
discussion.  In  vain  did  Mr.  Campbell  complain  that 
his  twelve  "facts"  had  no  logical  application  to  the 
propositions  which  Mr.  Owen  was  pledged  to  sustain. 
In  vain  did  the  moderators  suggest  and  insist  that  he 
should  confine  himself  to  one  of  the  five  propositions 
contained  in  his  challenge  until  that  particular  subject 
was  exhausted.  NoUiing  could  divert  him  from  his 
"  twelve  laws  of  human  nature,"  and  the  exposition 
of  the  happy  results  which  would  necessarily  follow 
their  universal  adoption.  The^ie  "  laws"  he  evidently 
conceived  to  be  a  complete  demonstration  of  all  the 
propositions  in  his  challenge.  He  endeavored  to  show 
that  man  according  to  these  "laws"  is  "a  being  en- 
tirely different  from  what  he  has  been  supposed  to  be 
by  any  religion  ever  invented,  and  that  none  of  these 


^^^         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CA. 

religions  apply  in  any  degree  to  a  b 
man  is."  Taking  it  for  granted  thai 
were  an  exact  summary  of  everythi 
human  nature,  a  complete  and  exhaust 
all  the  principles  of  human  action,  he 
all  religions  were  "founded  in  error 
dogmas  were  in  direct  opposition  to  tl 
truths  and  the  deductions  made  from  thi 
Mr.  Campbell,  in  his  endeavor  to  b 
to  close  quarters,  expressed  his  willir 
the  alleged  "  facts,"  with  the  exception 
that  "  the  will  has  no  power  over  belief 
on  to  show  that  these  "  facts"  had  refer 
animal  man,  that  his  intellectual  and  mc 
were  not  considered  in  them  at  all,  a 
presented  no  proper  analysis  of  the  j 
bilities  of  the  human  mind,  they  were 
formed  a  very  false  and  unsafe  basis 
He  showed  that  the  "twelve  facts"  \ 
plicable  to  a  goat  as  to  a  man-,  and  tha 
on  only  a  part  of  man  was  defective 
with  reason  and  human  experience.  T 
tion  of  Locke,  Hume  and  Mirabeau,  tV 
nal  ideas  are  the  results  of  sensation  ai 
inquired  how  man  could  have  any  ide 
of  which  did  not  exist  in  nature?  Yel 
the  idea  of  a  God  producing  something 
he  had  the  conception  of  an  immateria 
First  Cause  and  many  other  supernatur 
that  of  a  future  state,  and  those  com 
words  priest,  altar,  sacrifice,  etc.  He 
upon  Mr.  Owen  to  show  how  upon  his 
could  have  obtained  these  ideas,  and  ] 
the  problem  formerlj'  addressed  to  th 


I.AWS   OF  HUMAN  NATURE.  Z73 

"New  Harmony  Gazette,"  requesting  to  know  "how 
the  idea  of  an  eternal  First  Cause,  uncaused,  came 
into  the  world."  Mr.  Owen  replied,  "  By  imagination," 
Mr.  Campbell  then  affirmed  that,  upon  all  established 
principles  of  mental  philosophy,  imagination  could 
originate  nothing,  but  could  merely  combine  or  ar- 
range in  new  forms  the  images  already  derived  from 
the  various  sources  of  human  knowledge,  and  called 
upon  Mr.  Owen  tofurnish  a  proof  of  the  incorrectness 
of  this  position  by  imagining  a  sixth  sense.  "  That 
all  rehgions  were  founded  in  ignorance,"  as  Mr,  Owen 
asserted,  was  not,  he  urged,  if  admitted  as  true  and 
regarded  in  a  proper  light,  a  disparagement  of  religion, 
since  schools  and  colleges  were  based  on  the  ignorance 
of  society,  as  was  also  human  testimony  to  unknown 
facts  or  books  to  instruct  the  uninformed.  As  to  the 
power  of  the  will  over  belief,  he  showed  the  fallacy  of 
Mr.  Owen's  assertion  that  it  had  none,  for,  admitting 
that  belief  was  often  unavoidable  from  the  nature  of 
the  testimony  presented,  yet  the  will  had  much,  and 
often  everj'thing,  to  do  with  the  obtaining  and  proper 
consideration  of  the  evidence  necessary  to  conviction. 

To  Mr.  Campbell's  refutations,  Mr.  Owen,  however, 
had  nothing  to  oppose  but  his  "  twelve  laws  of  human 
nature,"  the  "  gems,"  as  he  termed  them,  of  his  "  casket," 
whose  brilliancy  he  thought  would  easily  excel  and  out- 
shine that  of  all  the  lights  of  reason,  logic  and  revela- 
tion. The  parties  seemed  thus  to  be  proceeding  in  two 
parallel  lines  which  could  never  meet ;  and  though  Mr- 
Campbell  took  occasion  to  present  views  of  human 
nature  subversive  of  his  opponent's  system,  and  to  point 
out  the  many  inconsistencies  in  which  it  involved  its 
author — as,  for  instance,  in  regard  to  his  own  attempt  to 
control  those  "  circumstances"  which  he  alleged  were 


274         MBMOIl 

supreme  in  hu 
pher  continued 
laws,"  and  to  c 
tional,  governi 
which  he  had  \ 
soon  became  ei 
reason,  that  he 
between  propo; 
expect  from  hit 
issue.  As  soo: 
completed  the  i 
to  Mr,  Cam  pi 
ruptedly,  the  li 
argument  he  h 
tianity ;  and  in 
hours,  gave  a  v 
for  cogency  o: 
thought  and  el 
ever  equaled. 
0\ven  andthe 
)  tianity  from  the 
versies  and  at 
infidelity,  and  t 
uted  the  origin 
explored  and  e; 
various  systems 
the  impossibility 
civilized  society 
the  power  and  I 
he  is  in  all  the  : 
society.  He  sh 
the  noblest  and 
— not  seeking  ti 
enactments  or 


i 


HOPE  NECESSARY  TO  HAPPINESS. 


375 


human  heart,  through  the  discovery  of  the  divine  phil- 
anthropy, that  principle  of  love  which  fulfills  every 
moral  precept.  Presenting  the  gospel  as  a  series  of 
connected  facts,  resting  upon  indubitable  testimony  of 
witnesses  and  of  prophecy,  he  dwelt  upon  its  simplicity, 
and  took  occasion  to  expose  the  folly  of  human  authori- 
tative creeds  and  the  evils  which  had  attended  them, 
and  to  exhibit  the  distinctive  views  of  the  gospel  which 
he  taught,  and  its  simple  and  expressive  institutions, 
which  gave  to  the  penitent  believer  the  assurance  of 
pardon  and  admitted  him  to  a  holy  and  divine  fellow- 
ship. He  avowed  his  belief  in  the  approach  of  a  happy 
era  for  humanity,  when  more  than  all  the  peace,  fra- 
ternity and  prosperity  anticipated  in  Mr.  Owen's  vision 
would  be  realized — -Yiot,  however,  by  means  of  idle 
human  schemes,  but  by  the  divine  philosophy  of 
making  the  tree  good  that  its  fruit  might  be  good,  and  by 
the  healing  of  all  divisions  through  the  universal  spread 
of  the  primitive  Christian  faith.  He  exposed  the  incon- 
sequence of  Mr.  Owen,  who  imagined  that  by  asserting 
man's  subjection  to  circumstances  he  had  proved  relig- 
ion false,  and  reminded  him  that  Calvinists  supposed 
all  things  unchangeably  decreed  and  fixed,  yet  found 
this  no  barrier  to  the  belief  of  the  Christian  religion. 
Making  his  appeal  to  consciousness,  however,  he 
showed  that  man  had  the  power  to  will,  to  examine 
into  the  matters  that  interested  him,  to  decide  in  refer- 
ence to  them  and  to  act  upon  his  decisions ;  and  illus- 
trated this  by  Mr.  Owen's  proceedings  in  regard  to  the 
Mexican  territory  and  other  cases.  Recurring  to  the 
partial  view  of  human  nature  presented  in  his  *'  twelve 
laws,"  he  proved  from  the  experience  of  mankind  that 
the  complete  gratification  of  temporal  wants  fails  to 
confer   happiness;   that  man   has   higher   aspirations^ 


2^6         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER 

which  must  be  met,  and  which  canr 
sublunary  pleasures.  He  dweh  up' 
mortality  as  that  alone  which  could 
the  cares  and  disappointments  of  11 
was  found  to  consist  in  the  pursuit 
attainment  of  the  objects  of  desire,  ai 
to  place  man  in  the  position  imagi 
where  he  would  have  nothing  to  ^ 
would  be  to  cut  him  off  from  the  m 
of  happiness.  He  exposed  also  the 
that  a  society  could  pennanently  exii 
of  obligation  or  responsibility,  whi' 
scheme  must  be  totally  banished, 
"  no  praise,  no  blame,"  was  to  be  ta 
cradle  to  the  grave,  and  everything 
upon  the  mere  charm  of  social  feelin 
was  perfectly  Utopian  and  unintelli 
any  community  there  must  be  sti 
ability,  allegiance,  protection  ;  and 
which  taught  all  from  infancy  that  a 
right  because  equally  the  result  of 
that  men  had  no  obligations  to  each 
calculated  to  make  men  not  only  ui 
dangerous  to  its  peace  and  welfare. 

He  finally  went  on  to  show  that  i 
features  Mr,  Owen's  plan  was  a  me 
Christian  enterprise.  Mr.  Dale  had 
ideas  of  the  co-operative  system,  with 
ments  for  the  improvement  of  the  w( 
Moses  and  Solomon  had  dwelt  up 
of  bringing  up  children  "  in  the  ws 
It  was,  however,  to  the  French  Re' 
debted  for  his  infidelity,  and  to  tl 
Graham  and  others  for  his  system  of 


TRIBUTE   TO  RELIGION.  277 

whole  matter  there  was  really  nothing  new.  It  was  but 
a  reproduction,  with  a  change  of  form,  of  the  views  of 
others,  and  he  denied  that  the  scheme  had  ever  been 
in  operation  at  New  Lanark,  where  the  people  in  the 
aggregate  were  religious,  and  where  there  were  Pres- 
byterian and  Independent  churches  well  attended,  Mr. 
Owen  himself  having  contributed  to  build  the  latter. 
As  to  New  Harmony,  Mr.  Owen,  he  thought,  would 
hardly  derive  from  the  issue  of  his  experiment  there 
any  argument  for  his  scheme.  After  all  his  reading, 
studying,  traveling  and  vast  expenditures,  nothing  as 
yet  had  been  produced  but  the  "twelve  fundamental 
laws  of  human  nature."  New  Harmony,  the  land  of 
promise  to  which  multitudes  flocked  with  eagerness, 
had  witnessed  the  dissolving  of  the  charm,  and  the  social 
builders  were  disbanding  under  the  influence  of  the 
awful  realities  of  nature,  reason  and  religion.  This 
result  he  thought  chiefly  due  to  the  abolition  of  the 
marriage  contract  and  the  appointment  of  nurses  to  take 
charge  of  the  infants  of  the  community.  In  this  con- 
nection he  referred  touchingly  to  the  joys  of  the  mother 
in  having  the  care  of  her  own  offspring.  "  The  smiles 
of  her  infant,"  said  he,  "  the  opening  dawn  of  reason, 
the  indications  of  future  greatness  or  goodness,  as  they 
exhibit  themselves  to  her  sanguine  expectations,  open 
to  her  sources  of  enjoyment  incomparably  overpaying 
the  solicitudes  and  gentle  toils  of  nursing."  He  showed 
that  the  system,  instead  of  being  accordant  with  human 
nature,  was  at  war  with  it,  and  "  aimed  a  mortal  blow  at 
all  our  ideas  of  social  order  and  social  happiness-" 

Having  thus  dissected  Mr.  Owen's  philosophy  and 
exhibited  the  truth  and  excellence  of  Christianity,  he 
concluded  his  long  address  with  the  following  tribute  to 
religion : 


27S  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   C 

"  Religion— the  Bible!     'What  treasiir 

that  heavenly  word  !'  Religion  has  givei 
to  all  that  is  past,  and  is  as  the  moral  to  tl 
the  only  good  of  the  whole — the  earnest  nc 
harvest  of  future  and  eternal  good.  Now  li 
before  me — for  we  cannot  yet  appeal  to  the 
been  derived  yonr  most  raptiuous  delight 
not  the  tears,  the  dew  of  religion  in  the  soi 
comparably  more  joy  than  all  the  fleshly  ga 
splendid  vanities,  than  the  loud  laugh,  t 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  flesh  ?  Ev< 
of  hope  and  fear,  of  joy  and  sorrow,  of  w 
may  be  conscious  in  his  ardent  race  after 
tality,  aflbrd  more  true  bliss  than  ever  did  t 
the  radiant  crown  or  the  triumphal  arch 
gratitude  or  admiration  of  a  nation  on  son 
fortune  and  of  fame. 

"Whatever  comes  from  religion  come: 
gi'catest  joys  derivable  to  mortal  man  com 
1  cannot  speak  of  all  who  wear  the  Chri) 
myself,  I  must  say  that  worlds  piled  on 
universal  scope  of  my  imagination,  would 
contra  against  the  annihilation  of  the  ide 
preme.  And  the  paradox  of  paradoxes,  tl 
cles  and  the  mystery  of  mysteries  with  me 
evermore  shall  be,  Aow  any  good  man  coi 
no  God!  With  the  idea  of  God  the  Aim 
this  earth  not  only  the  idea  of  virtue,  of  m( 
of  all  rational  enjoyment.  What  is  height 
without  bottom,  length  and  breadth  wi 
what  is  the  sublimity  of  the  universe  witho 
who  created,  balances,  sustains  and  fills  thi 
ncss?  The  hope  of  one  day  seeing  this  A 
beholding  Him  who  made  my  body  and  i 
spirit,  the  anticipation  of  being  introduced 
the  universe,  the  sanctuary  of  the  heavens, 
parison  with  all  sublunary  things.      Our 


EVIDENCE   OF  A    CREATOR. 


279 


tion,  of  imagination,  and  our  powers  of  computation  and  ex- 
pression, are  alike  baffled  and  prostrated  in  such  an  attempt.  ^ 
*'  Take  away  this  hope  from  me,  and  teach  me  to  think  ~ 
that  I  am  the  creature  of  mere  chance,  and  to  it  alone  in- 
debted for  all  that  I  am,  was,  and  ever  shall  be,  and  I  see 
nothing  in  the  universe  but  mortification  and  disappointment. 
Death  is  as  desirable  as  life  ;  and  no  one  creature  or  thing  is 
more  deserving  of  my  attention  and  consideration  than  an- 
other. But  if  so  much  pleasure  is  derived  from  surveying 
the  face  of  nature,  from  contemplating  the  heavens  and  the 
systems  of  astronomy,  if  there  be  so  much  exquisite  enjoy- 
ment from  passing  inta  the  great  laboratory  of  nature  and  in 
looking  into  the  delicate  touches,  the  great  art,  the  wonderful 
design  even  in  the  smaller  works  in  the  kingdom  which  the 
microscope  opens  to  our  view,  what  will  be  the  pleasure,  the 
exquisite  joy,  in  seeing  and  beholding  Him  who  is  the  Foun- 
tain of  Life^  the  Author  and  Artificer  of  the  whole  uni- 
verse !  But  the  natural  and  physical  excellences  and  material 
glories  of  this  great  fabric  are  but,  as  it  were,  the  substratum 
from  which  shine  all  the  moral  glories  of  the  Author  of 
eternal  life  and  of  the  august  scheme  which  gives  immor-  ^ 
tality  to  man  !  No  unrestrained  freedom  to  explore  the  pene- 
tralia of  voluptuousness,  to  revel  in  all  the  luxury  of  worms, 
to  bask  in  the  ephemeral  glories  of  a  sunbeam,  can  compen- 
sate for  the  immense  robbery  of  the  idea  of  God  and  the 
hope  of  eternal  bliss,  'dreadful  adventure !  hazardous  ex- 
periment !  most  ruinous  project — to  blast  the  idea  of  God  .[_^ 
The  worst  thing  in  such  a  scheme  which  could  happen,  or 
even  appear  to  happen,  would  be  success.  But  as  well 
might  Mr.  Owen  attempt  to  fetter  the  sea,  to  lock  up  the 
winds,  to  prevent  the  rising  of  the  sun,  as  to  exile  this  idea 
from  the  human  race.  For  although  man  has  not,  circum- 
stanced as  he  now  is,  unaided  by  revelation,  the  power  to 
originate  such  an  idea,  yet  when  it  is  once  suggested  to  a 
child  it  can  never  be  forgotten.  As  soon  could  a  child  anni- 
hilate the  earth  as  to  annihilate  the  idea  of  God  once  sug- 
gested.    The  proofs  of  his  existence  become  as  numerous  as 


i 


28o         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAl 

the  drops  of  dew  from  the  womb  of  the  m 
merahle  as  the  blades  of  grass  produced  \ 
influences  of  spring.  Everything  within  u: 
without,  from  the  nails  upon  the  ends  of 
sun,  moon  and  stars,  confirm  the  idea  of  1 
adorable  excellences.  To  call  upon  a  r, 
prove  the  being  and  perfections  of  God  is  I 
to  prove  that  he  exists  himself.  /What !  sha 
upon  to  prove  a  priori  or  a  posteriori  that ' 
Fountain  of  Life  !  a  universal  Creator  !  If  tt; 
lions  of  witnesses  which  speak  for  him  in  h 
sea  will  not  be  heard,  the  feeble  voice  of  n 
in  vain." 

Upon  the  Lord's  day  which  interve 
delivery  of  this  address  he  preached  I 
very  crowded  audience  in  the  house  in  w 
was  held,  and  on  Monday  evening,  whe 
his  long  speech,  Mr.  Owen  rejoined,  a 
plimenting  Mr.  Campbell  very  highlj 
industry  and  extraordinary  talents,  as  we 
liness,  honesty  and  fairness  which  he  sa 
tofore  sought  in  vain,  he  made  no  atten 
his  arguments,  but  occupied  himself  in 
tion  against  religion,  renewed  laudatioi 
"jewels"  of  his  "  casket,"  and  glowing 
happy  "  circumstances"  to  be  produced 
v/^<rhis  speech  he  concluded  on  Tuesday  i 
In  the  afternoon  Mr.  Campbell  replied 
posure  of  the  inanity  of  Mr.  Owen's  effi 
religion  and  establish  his  "  Social  Sy: 
assertion  without  proof  and  by  ridicule  i 
ment.  He  admitted  that  sectarian  div 
cords  furnished  weapons  to  skepticism,  1 
Christianity,  even  in  its  most  corrupt  fern 
the  imputations  of  Mr.  Owen. 


UNEXPECTED  APPEAL.  281 

To  this  speech  Mr.  Owen  responded  by  bringing  up 
again  his  "twelve  laws"  to  the  consideration .  of  the 
audience  and  descanting  upon  them  for  an  hour,  after 
which  Mr.  Campbell  in  a  very  happy  manner  exposed 
"  the  twelve  laws"  to  contempt,  and  showed  their  utter 
inadequacy  as  laws  of  human  nature.  Mr.  Owen  then 
continued  in  a  final  speech  his  disquisitions  upon  his 
favorite  "gems,"  and  after  courteously  thanking  and 
complimenting  the  audience  and  moderators  for  their 
patience  and  attention,  closed  by  taking  his  leave  "with 
the  best  feelings  toward  all."  Mr,  Campbell,  having 
now  to  terminate  the  discussion,  gave  a  recapitulation 
of  what  had  been  accomplished,  and  after  comparing 
the  triumphs  of  skepticism  with  those  of  Christianity, 
before  dismissing  adopted  an  unexpected  and  ingenious 
method  of  eliciting  the  sentiments  of  the  assembly. 

"I  should  be  wanting  to  you,  my  friends,"  said  he,  "and 
to  the  cause  which  I  plead,  if  I  should  dismiss  you  without 
making  to  yon  a  very  important  proposition.  You  know 
that  this  discussion  is  matter  for  the  press.  You  know  that 
every  encomium  which  has  been  pronounced  upon  your  ex- 
emplary behavior  will  go  with  the  report  of  this  discussion. 
You  will  remember,  too,  that  many  indignities  have  been 
offered  to  your  faith,  to  your  religion,  and  that  these  re- 
proaches and  indignities  have  been  only  heard  with  pity, 
and  not  marked  with  the  least  resentment  on  your  part. 
Now  I  must  tel]  you  that  a  problem  will  arise  in  the  minds 
of  those  living  five  hundred  or  a  thousand  miles  distant  who 
may  read  this  discussion,  whether  it  was  owing  to  a  perfect 
apathy  or  indifference  on  your  fart  as  to  any  interest  you 
_felt  in  the  Christian  religion,  that  you  bore  all  these  in- 
sults "without  seeming  to  hear  them.  In  fine,  the  question 
will  be,  whether  it  was  owing  to  the  stoical  indifference  of 
fatalism^  to  the  prevalence  of  infidelity,  or  to  the  meek- 
ness and  forbearance  "which  Christianity  teaches,  that  you 

24» 


i8a        MEMOIRS  OF  ALBXAND. 

bore  all  these  indignities  "without 
•disgust.  Now,  I  desire  no  more 
Christian-like  deportment  may  be  c 
count.  If  il  be  owing  to  your  conci 
Mr.  Owen,  let  skepticism  have  tl 
owing  to  your  belief  in  or  regard  f 
let  the  Christian  religion  have  the  h 
piemised,  my  proposition  is,  that  al 
sembly  -who  believe  in  the  Christit 
so  much  interest  in  it  as  to  wish  to 
will  please  to  signify  it  by  rising  n 
almost  universal  rising  up  on  thi 
"Now,"  continued  Mr.  Campbel 
sealed,  "  I  would  further  propose  /, 
of  the  truth  of  the  Christian  reh 
lieve  it,  and  who  are  not  friendly  to 
over  the  world,  will  please  signify 
this,  three  persons  only  rose  amidst 

This  appeal  to  the  audience  \ 
stances,  one  of  those  master-s: 
reveal  the  penetration  and  sagi 
He  had  perceived  that  Mr.  Ow 
ment  so  sanguine  as  to  regard 
him  with  respect  and  interest  as 
constantly  under  the  wildest  illu; 
prevalence  of  his  views.  He 
for  Mr.  Owen's  sake  as  well  a 
pleaded,  that  he  would  deprive 
mate  he  might  have  formed  o: 
upon  the  intelligent  audience  bj 
of  the  "  Social  System"  during 
and  prevent  him  or  his  friends  ft 
ments  and  false  hopes  upon  ignc 
prompt  and  public  expression 
the  audience  was  a  mortifying 


EFFECTS   OF  THE  DEBATE. 


283 


Owen,  in  spite  of  all  his  efforts  to  conceal  it,  while  to 
the  friends  of  religion  it  was  a  most  acceptable  testi- 
mony to  the  power  of  truth  as  well  as  to  the  ability  of 
its  defender. 

It  need  scarcely  be  said  that  this  debate  elevated  Mr. 
Campbell  to  a  very  high  position  in  the  estimation  of 
the  entire  religious  community.  For  a  time,  party 
feeling  seemed  to  be  held  in  abeyance,  and  all  were 
disposed  to  acknowledge  their  obligations  to  the  de- 
fender of  the  common  faith.  The  immediate  effect  of 
the  discussion,  too,  was  quite  marked.  Thomas  Camp- 
bell, who  had  accompanied  his  son  from  Bethany  and 
remained  in  the  city  for  some  time,  and  with  whose 
urbanity,  kindness  and  many  excellences  Mr.  Owen 
was  greatly  impressed,  baptized  quite  a  number  of  con- 
verts, and  subsequently  many  persons  of  intelligence, 
who  had  been  skeptical  in  their  views,  acknowledged 
that  all  their  doubts  were  removed  by  Mr.  Campbell's 
arguments  during  the  debate.  Among  these  may  be 
mentioned  Dr.  M.  Winans  of  Jamestown,  Ohio,  a  man 
of  great  acuteness  of  intellect  and  power  of  concentra- 
tion, who  became  afterward  one  of  the  most  able  sup- 
porters of  the  Reformation,  and  whose  short  but  pithy 
articles  in  Mr.  Campbell's  periodical  gave  great  pleas- 
ure to  its  readers.  The  beneficial  effects  of  the  dis- 
cussion were,  however,  incomparably  extended  by  its 
publication,  with  interesting  appendices  and  addenda. 
Mr.  Owen,  being  about  to  return  to  Europe,  sold  his 
interest  in  the  work  to  Mr.  Campbell,  who  published  a 
large  edition  of  it,  which  was  rapidly  disposed  of.  An 
edition  was  some  years  afterward  printed  in  London 
by  Groombridge,  in  one  octavo  volume  of  five  hundred 
and  forty-five  pages,  which  obtained  an  extensive  cir- 
culation ;  so  that  wherever  the  English  language  was 


284         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER 

spoken,  Mr.  Campbeil's  able  defer 
became  known,  and  exercised  its  j 
and  exposing  the  fallacies  of  the  p 
philosophies.  Innumerable  were  tt 
tude  and  congratulation  which  he  r 
who  read  the  discussion  and  who  wt 
infidelity  or  confirmed  in  faith.  T 
which  he  had  always  treated  the 
manliness  of  his  course  in  relation  to 
for  him  therespect  and  confidence  1 
under  doubts  and  difficulties  in  reg. 
"  religion.  They  flocked  everywhere 
often  invited  him  to  address  them 
in  organized  societies  ;  they  heard  hi 
ings  with  interest  and  attention;  an 
affirmed,  that  no  individual  was  ev 
been  the  instrument  of  converting  si 
the  truth  of  Christianity  as  Alexandt 
As  to  Mr.  Owen  himself,  it  cann 
change  was  eflected.  He  was  obt 
ward  the  close  of  the  debate,  to  quali 
nunciations  of  Christianity  by  the  phr 
taught;"  for  Mr.  Campbell  had  pres 
of  it  that  he  could  not  offer  a  single  ol 
remarked  also  that  after  the  debatt 
admit  there  were  "difficulties  on  bo 
seems  to  have  returned  to  England  u 
lucinations  which  had  heretofore  gov 
still  hoped  to  banish  evil  from  the  wo 
society,  imagining  at  every  moment 
going  to  be  tried  in  some  particular 
all  other  countries  would  immediate) 
to  his  views. 

Shortly  before  the  debate,  Mr.  C 


EDITORIAL  LABORS. 


285 


eluded  to  discontinue  the  **  Christian  Baptist.'*  He 
feared  that  the  name  Christian  Baptists  would  be  given 
to  the  advocates  of  the  Reformation,  and  he  wished  to 
commence  a  new  periodical  of  larger  size  and  of  some- 
what different  character.  Desiring  to  begin  this  with 
January,  1830,  and  not  having  yet  completed  the  out- 
lines of  his  plan  of  the  *'  Christian  Baptist,"  he  pro- 
posed to  issue  the  seventh  volume  of  the  latter  work 
concurrently  with  the  sixth,  so  as  to  furnish  both  within 
the  year.  He  was  still  engaged  with  his  "Essays  on 
the  Ancient  Gospel  and  Ancient  Order  of  Things,"  and 
had  in  course  of  publication  a  very  interesting  series  of 
articles  on  the  primitive,  the  patriarchal,  the  Jewish  and 
the  Christian  dispensations,  which  had  a  powerful  effect 
in  dissipating  the  confusion  of  thought  which  prevailed 
in  reference  to  religion,  and  leading  to  clear  and  con- 
sistent views  of  the  Bible.  All  these  he  desired  to 
finish,  so  that  a  complete  and  connected  view  of  the 
different  subjects  might  be  embraced  in  the  "  Christian 
Baptist"  before  its  close.  He  felt  at  this  time  greatly 
encouraged  by  the  success  which  had  attended  his 
editorial  labors.  For  every  day  of  the  past  six  years 
he  had  received  a  new  subscriber,  and  the  principles 
he  advocated  were  extending  their  influence  in  all 
directions. 


"  I  have  devoted  myself  to  this  cause,"  said  he  on  the  fourth 
of  July,  1829,  "  and  vvijl,  God  willing,  prosecute  it  with  per- 
severance. The  prospect  of  emancipating  myriads  from  the 
dominion  of  prejudice  and  tradition,  of  restoring  a  pure 
speech  to  the  people  of  God,  of  expediting  their  progress 
from  Babylon  to  Jerusalem,  of  contributing  efficiently  to  the 
arrival  of  the  millennium,  have  brightened  with  every  volume 
of  this  work.  To  the  King,  eternal,  immortal  and  invisible, 
the  only  wise  God,  our  Saviour,  we  live  and  die.     To  him 


286 


MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 


we  consecrate  the  talents,  information,  means  and  every  influ- 
ence he  has  given  us,  and  we  trust  the  day  will  come  when 
all  shall  see,  acknowledge  and  confess  that  our  labors  in  the 
Lord  are  not  in  vain." 

This  expectation  he  had  abundant  reason  to  cherish. 
In  Kentucky  his  views  had  now  been  received  by  many 
of  the  Baptists,  and  had  already  awakened  a  bitter  op- 
position on  the  part  of  those  who  were  determined  to 
maintain  the  usages  of  the  party.  This  opposition,  led 
by  Dr.  Noel,  S.  H.  Clack,  Edmund  Waller  and  others, 
had  already  introduced  proscription  and  division  into 
some  of  the  churches.  Thus,  when  G.  W.  Elley,  in 
1828,  convinced  of  existing  errors,  ventured,  in  Eighteen- 
Mile  Church,  near  Westport,  to  depart  from  the  conse- 
crated method  of  textuary  preaching,  and  to  urge  a  re- 
turn to  the  primitive  practice  of  weekly  communion,  the 
usual  devices  were  at  once  employed  to  excite  prejudice 
against  him  and  deprive  him  of  influence  as  a  public 
teacher.  Finding  the  majority  of  the  church  averse  to 
any  reformation,  and  that  they  unjustly  denied  to  him 
the  rights  accorded  even  by  Baptist  rules,  he  was  in- 
duced, with  others,  to  free  himself  from  a  thraldom  to 
which  he  could  not  conscientiously  submit,  and  con- 
tinued from  this  time  to  advocate  publicly,  with  zeal 
and  eflSciency,  the  restoration  of  the  primitive  faith  and 
manners.  In  other  parts  of  the  State  the  reformatory 
principles  seemed  to  be  adopted  with  great  readiness. 
Thus,  in  1828,  the  Boon  Creek  Association  went  so  far 
as  to  decide  that  the  word  of  God  did  not  authorize  any 
form  of  constitution  for  an  association,  and  that  their 
constitution  should  be  abolished.  They  then  resolved 
the  Association  into  a  mere  annual  meeting  for  worship 
and  hearing  voluntary  reports  from  the  churches.  In 
Christian  county  also  several  churches  openly  rejected 


REMISSION  OF  SINS. 


287 


Baptist  theories  and  usages.  One  of  these,  at  Noah 
Spring,  of  thirty-three  members,  resolved  to  meet  for 
weekly  communion,  appointing  a  worthy  member,  A. 
Linsey,  as  elder,  and  baptizing  converts  for  the  re- 
mission of  sins,  throughout  the  State,  indeed,  the 
Baptist  churches  were  gaining  numerous  accessions. 
Mr.  Campbell's  debates  had  brought  the  subject  of  be- 
lievers' baptism  prominently  before  the  minds  of  the 
people,  and  the  new  interest  lately  thrown  around  the 
institution  by  the  discovery  of  its  immediate  relation  to 
the  formal  remission  of  sins  had  added  immensely  to 
the  influence  of  immersionists,  even  where  they  did  not 
fully  embrace  Mr.  Campbell's  teaching,  but  especially 
where  they  favored  it.  Thus,  between  November,  1827, 
and  May,  1828,  Jeremiah  Vardeman  immersed  about 
five  hundred  and  fifty  persons  in  Kentucky,  and  during 
June  and  July,  in  Cincinnati,  one  hundred  and  eighteen 
more.  John  Smith,  between  February  and  the  third 
Lord's  day  in  July,  1828,  immersed  six  hundred  and 
three.  Under  the  labors  of  Walter  Warder  about  three 
hundred  were  added  in  the  course  of  a  few  months  to 
the  church  at  Mayslick,  and  a  very  large  number  else- 
,  where  under  the  preaching  of  William  Morton,  Jacob 
Creath  and  others.  Jeremiah  Vardeman,  indeed,  even 
from  the  time  of  the  McCalla  debate,  had  preached 
baptism  for  remission  of  sins  with  great  zeal  and  effect. 
In  November,  1826,  he  told  Mr.  Campbell  that  he  had 
much  more  pleasure  in  immersing  persons  then  than 
formerly,  before  he  was  aware  of  the  meaning  of  the 
ordinance.  He  then  went  on  to  relate  a  rencontre^  he 
had  had  with  the  Catholics  shortly  before,  on  the  ques- 
tion of  remitting  sins. 

"  The  Right  Rev.  Mr. ,  from  Bardstown,"  said  he, 

"  had  the  audacity  to  come  over  into  my  bounds,  and  right  in 


^ 


288 


MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 


the  field  of  my  labors  began  to  hold  forth  the  rank  doctrine 
of  Catholic  absolution.  He  contended  that  he  and  his 
brethren  had  the  power  of  forgiving  sins,  and  attempted  to 
prove  it  all  by  Scripture.  Well,  thought  I,  my  good  sir,  I 
will  return  the  compliment.  A  few  weeks  after,  I  sent  an 
appointment  to  Bardstown,  and  had  it  publicly  announced 
that  I  was  going  to  prove  that  the  Baptist  ministry  had  as 
much  power  of  remitting  sins  as  the  Catholic  ministry." 
This  he  endeavored  to  do  from  the  language  addressed  to 
Peter :  "  Whosoever  sins  you  remit,  they  are  remitted,"  and 
by  showing  that  Peter  fulfilled  this  in  announcing  to  believers 
baptism  for  remission. 

Mr.  Campbell  greatly  disapproved  the  practice  of 
making  such  issues,  and  of  using  such  strong  and  un- 
guarded expressions  as  the  "  power  of  remitting  sins" 
and  "  washing  away  sins  in  baptism."  "These,"  said 
he,  "  have  been  most  prejudicial  to  the  cause  of  truth, 
and  have  given  a  pretext  to  the  opposition  for  their  hard 
speeches  against  the  pleadings  of  Reformers."  The 
habitual  use  of  such  expressions  he  thought  also  cal- 
culated to  lead  men  to  overlook  or  disparage  that  faith 
in  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  from  which  alone  baptism  de- 
rived its  eflScacy.  On  this  account,  in  baptizing  per- 
sons, he  used  only  the  simple  formula,  '*  Into  the  name 
of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit," 
and  forebore  adding  to  it,  like  Mr.  Scott  and  others, 
the  expression  "for  the  remission  of  sins."  "When 
any  doctrine,"  said  he  (Mill.  Harb.  for  1832,  p.  299), 
"  is  professed  and  taught  by  many,  when  any  matter 
gets  into  many  hands,  some  will  misuse,  abuse  and 
pervert  it.  This  is  unavoidable.  We  have  always 
feared  abuses  and  extremes." 

In  Nashville,  Tennessee,  the  ancient  order  of  things 
had  been  introduced  without  much  diflSculty,  and  the 
church  was  peacefully  progressing.     In  the  eastern  part 


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290 


MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 


Elders  James  Shelburne,  William  Richards  and  James 
Robertson,  and  continued  to  travel  and  preach  with  his 
father  until  the  death  of  the  latter,  when  he  was  called 
to  the  care  of  the  churches  to  which  his  father  had 
ministered.  The  membership  of  these  churches  greatly 
increased  under  his  labors,  but  he  felt  their  need  of  some 
better  plan  of  religious  edification,  as  he  could  visit  them 
but  once  a  month.  Having  read  the  **  Christian  Bap- 
tist" from  its  commencement,  he  was  impressed  with  the 
importance  of  the  ancient  order  of  things  there  described, 
and  began  by  urging  the  churches  to  meet  to  attend  to 
the  Lord's  Supper  at  least  once  a  month.  This  beiiig 
agreed  to,  he  after  a  time  proposed  that  elders  should 
be  appointed  in  each  of  the  churches,  and  that  they 
should  assemble  every  Lord's  day  for  reading,  exhorta- 
tion, prayer  and  attendance  on  the  table  of  the  Lord. 
This  was  opposed,  but  he  succeeded  in  getting  six  con- 
gregations organized  with  elders,  and  in  gaining  over 
to  his  assistance  some  other  preachers,  as  P.  Barnes,  D. 
Pettey,  James  M.  Jeter  and  Paschal  Townes.  These 
endeavored  to  introduce  better  views  into  the  churches, 
continuing  to  preach,  as  usual,  faith,  repentance  and 
baptism  in  order  to  the  knowledge  of  salvation,  but 
maintaining  that  the  heart  was  changed  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  through  the  belief  of  the  truth.  A  violent  oppo- 
sition soon  arose  against  these  efforts  to  change  Baptist 
usages  and  theories,  but  the  thirteen  churches  compos- 
ing the  Meherrin  Association  failed  to  press  matters  to 
any  final  decision,  so  that  Silas  Shelburne  and  his  asso- 
ciates continued  for  some  time  to  labor  as  usual. 

In  the  summer  of  1826,  a  Baptist  preacher,  traveling 
as  a  missionary  under  the  auspices  of  a  female  mis- 
sionary society  in  Richmond,  Virginia,  when  near  the 
Natural  Bridge  happened  to  meet  with  a  few  numbers 


-J 


SPREAD   OF  TRUTH. 


291 


of  the  •*  Christian  Baptist"  and  the  McCalla  Debate, 
which  he  read  with  some  surprise  at  the  views  presented. 
At  first  such  was  his  dissatisfaction  that  he  resolved  to 
attempt  their  confutation,  but  upon  more  careful  exam- 
ination found  himself  unable  to  deny  their  scriptural 
correctness.  This  was  Francis  Whitefield  Emmons, 
who  was  born  at  Clarendon,  Vermont,  February  24, 
1802,  and  united  with  the  Baptist  church  at  S wanton, 
Vermont,  April,  1816.  After  a  good  preparatory  edu- 
cation, he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Second  Bap- 
tist Church  at  Hamilton  in  1821,  and  after  completing 
the  three  years'  course  of  study  in  the  literary  and 
theological  seminary  there  in  1824,  entered  Columbian 
College,  D.  C,  in  the  following  year,  and  while  there 
edited  for  a  short  period  the  **  Columbian  Star."  After 
his  missionary  tour  in  Virginia  he  became,  in  1827,  a 
student  of  Brown  University,  where  he  graduated. 
After  editing  the  ''American  Baptist  Magazine"  for  a 
short  time,  at  Salem,  Massachusetts,  he  jJreached  for 
the  church  at  Eastport,  Maine,  over  which  he  was  or- 
dained as  pastor  in  1829,  at  Providence,  Rhode  Island. 
While  at  Brown  University  he  had  become  more  and 
more  impressed  with  the  need  of  the  reformation  urged 
by  Mr.  Campbell,  and  had  ordered  three  complete  sets 
of  the  •'  Christian  Baptist"  with  the  debates.  New  Tes- 
tament, etc.,  which  were  received  at  Eastport  in  1829. 
One  set  of  the  '*  Christian  Baptist"  was  taken  by  Elder 
W.  W.  Ashley,  of  Eastport,  who  after  reading  them 
preached  and  taught  as  never  before.  Passing  after  a 
time  into  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick,  Mr.  Ash- 
ley disseminated  there  the  principles  of  the  Reforma- 
tion and  baptized  for  the  remission  of  sins.  Several 
preachers  were  convinced  through  his  instrumentality, 
and   churches   established   according  to  the  primitive 


292 


MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 


order.  One  of  the  remaining  sets  of  the  "Christian 
Baptist"  was  sent  by  Mr.  Emmons  to  Jonathan  Wade, 
missionary  in  Burmah,  and  was  received  and  read  by 
him  and  other  missionaries  there  with  profit,  E.  Kin- 
caid,  upon  his  return  to  the  United  States  some  years 
after,  assuring  Mr.  Emmons  *'that  he  had  been  much 
interested  in  the  reading,  that  the  work  had  helped  him 
much  and  by  directing  him  to  the  living  Word,  had 
enabled  him  to  preach  to  the  Karens  the  ancient  gospel 
better  than  he  otherwise  would  have  done." 

The  influence  of  Mr.  Campbell  had  been  felt  also 
among  the  independent  churches  ia  Europe.  Of  these 
there  were  a  number  in  Ireland.  One  of  them,  as 
formerly  stated,  existed  in  Rich-Hill.  Another,  of  con- 
siderable size,  called  the  Tabernacle  Church,  had  been 
formed  in  the  city  of  Armagh.  One  of  the  members 
of  this  church,  Robert  Tener,  becoming  much  inter- 
ested in  reading  the  accounts  of  the  labors  of  foreign 
missionaries,  was  particularly  struck  with  the  fact  that 
all  the  converts  who  professed  faith  were  baptized. 
The  idea  at  once  occurred  to  him  that  he,  as  a  believer, 
ought  to  be  baptized.  Knowing  nothing  whatever  of 
the  Baptists,  he  at  once  went  to  the  minister  of  the 
Tabernacle,  Mr.  Hamilton,  and  told  him  he  wished  to 
be  baptized.  Mr.  Hamilton  asked  why  he  desired  this, 
as  he  had  been  already  baptized  in  infancy.  Mr.  Tener 
replied  that  he  had  no  knowledge  of  the  fact,  and  that 
as  he  had  only  recently  come  to  understand  and  believe 
the  gospel,  he  could  discern  no  difference  between  him- 
self and  the  heathen  in  Otaheite,  who  were  baptized 
after  they  believed.  Mr.  Hamilton  then  told  him  there 
was  a  sect  called  Baptists  who  thought  so,  and  gave 
him  some  of  their  writings,  together  with  some  Paedo- 
baptist  works,  to  read.     The  reasonings  of  the  Paedo- 


CHURCHES  IN  IRELAND. 


293 


baptist  writers,  and  particularly  the  plausible  argumen- 
tation of  William  Ballantine,  who  had  published  a 
treatise  defending  infant  baptism,  had  the  effect  of 
settling  Mr.  Tener  down  for  a  time  in  the  conviction 
that  they  were  right.  Removing,  however,  soon  after 
to  Dungannon,  ten  miles  distant,  he  resumed  his  investi- 
gations, and  after  a  careful  examination  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, became  fully  satisfied  that  he  ought  to  be  im- 
mersed. About  this  time  (1810)  a  Robert  Smyth,  who 
had  just  returned  from  one  of  Robert  Haldane's  semi- 
naries, engaged  in  the  inquiry  with  him  and  with  one 
or  two  others,  was  likewise  convinced.  Smyth  said  he 
knew  of  no  Baptist  in  the  entire  North  of  Ireland  ex- 
cept one  old  Englishman  near  Keady.  "  Then,"  said 
Mr.  Tener,  "go  to  him  and  be  baptized,  and  then  bap- 
tize me,  my  wife  and  William  Smyth."  This  having 
been  done,  the  four  at  once  began  to  meet  regularly  to 
keep  the  ordinances  in  a  large  room  used  by  Mr.  Tener 
as  a  storehouse  for  linens.  Here,  in  spite  of  petty 
persecutions  and  the  indignation  of  the  clergy,  they 
continued  to  meet  and  to  receive  additions,  but  their 
number,  being  constantly  reduced  by  emigration,  seldom 
exceeded  forty.  This  was  the  first  church  formed  in 
Ireland  on  the  plan  of  requiring  a  simple  faith  in  Jesus 
as  the  Son  of  God  and  immersion  into  his  name. 

It  happened  that  in  1825,  Richard,  a  son  of  Robert 
Tener,  was  a  clerk  in  the  Bank  of  Iceland,  at  Newry, 
and  Mr.  Campbell  having  sent  over  during  that  year 
some  copies  of  his  debates  and  some  numbers  of  the 
**  Christian  Baptist"  to  his  relatives  there,  the  latter, 
who  were  still  Seceders,  after  reading  some  of  them, 
told  Richard  Tener  that  these  books  would  just  suit  his 
father,  and  that  he  had  better  send  him  some  of  them. 
Upon  receiving  them,  Robert  Tener  and  those  with 

24  • 


294         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL. 

him,  though  surprised  and  delighted  to  find  that  many 
of  the  views  to  which  they  themselves  had  been  led  by 
the  Scripture  had  been  advocated  by  Mr.  Campbell  in 
America,  were  yet  at  first  quite  dissatisfied  with  some 
of  the  things  he  taught.  The  clearer  conceptions  of 
the  latter  in  regard  to  the  difTerent  divine  dispensations, 
the  distinction  between  faith  and  opinion  and  the  design 
of  baptism,  were,  however,  after  some  time  perceived 
to  be  entirely  just  and  scriptural,  and  the  church  at 
Dungannon  came  to  be  in  general  accord  with  Mr. 
Campbell. 

About  the  year  1827,  a  commercial  traveler,  Peter 
Woodnorth,  of  Liverpool,  a  zealous  Christian,  called  on 
the  brethren  at  Dungannon,  who  talked  with  him  freely 
upon  these  religious  matters,  in  which  they  took  great 
interest,  and  gave  him  some  of  Mr.  Campbell's  works. 
On  his  return  to  England  he  delivered  to  the  Independ- 
ent churches  in  Liverpool,  Nottingham  and  Manchester 
the  things  he  had  learned,  which  were  thus  for  the  first 
time  introduced  into  England.  In  the  year  1829,  under 
date  of  November  5 ,  William  Tener,  a  son  of  Robert 
Tener,  an  intelligent  and  estimable  youth,  opened  a 
correspondence  with  Mr.  Campbell,  and  spoke  in  the 
beginning  of  his  letter  as  follows  as  to  the  effect  pro- 
duced by  his  writings : 

"  Verv  dsar  Brother  :  Although  personally  a  stranger 
to  you,  I  have  enjoyed  an  acquaintance  w  Jth  your  writings  for  a 
length  of  time.  From  them  I  have  received  great  advantages. 
Many  opinions  which  I  formerly  held  verf'  strenuously  I  found 
upon  examination  were  unfounded  ;  and  many  truths  of  which  I 
was  ignorant  have  been  brought  before  my  mind  through  tlie 
instrumentality  of  that  ably-edited  periodical,  the  '  Christian 
Baptist.'  Many  of  my  friends  in  this  your  native  land  have 
reason  to  bless  God  that  ever  they  saw  it ;  and  though  their 
prejudices  were  great  against  you  at  first,  they  yielded  to  the 


A  FAITHFUL  HELPMATE. 


295 


influence  of  all  powerful  truth.  Many  of  us  (for  I  class  my- 
self among  them)  were  so  prejudiced  that  when  we  read  a 
few  pages  of  the  *  Christian  Baptist,'  we  resolved  on  reading 
no  more,  conceiving  your  opinions  to  be  heterodox,  thus  con- 
demning you  unheard.  When  we  gave  you  a  hearing,  how- 
ever, we  found  that  your  sentiments  were  in  general  accord- 
ance with  the  revelations  of  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of 
lords." 

Thus  it  was  that  through  various  instrumentalities  the 
principles  advocated  were  widely  diffused  abroad,  every- 
where more  or  less  opposed,  but  everywhere  developiqg 
the  power  of  truth  and  modifying  the  state  of  religious 
society ;  and  Mr.  Campbell  found  himself  to  be  the  cen- 
tre of  a  constantly  widening  circle  of  influence,  and, 
under  Divine  Providence,  an  acknowledged  guide  to  a 
large  and  intelligent  community  zealously  engaged  in 
the  work  of  reformation. 

Before  his  return  home  from  the  Owen  debate  his 
family  had  been  increased  by  the  birth  of  a  daughter, 
who  was  named  Margaret  Brown,  after  his  first  wife. 
He  had  had  for  some  time,  and  continued  to  have,  quite 
an  extensive  household,  to  take  charge  of  which  required 
no  small  degree  of  courage  on  the  part  of  his  second  wife, 
who  had  not,  like  the  first  one,  been  brought  up  in  the 
country  and  familiarized  with  the  details  of  farm-life. 
All  these  she  had  to  learn,  and  during  Mr.  Campbell's 
long  absences  to  observe  his  directions  for  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  fields  and  to  engage  laborers,  which  she  did 
with  so  much  judgment  that  Mr.  Campbell  always  re- 
turned to  find  things  in  order,  and  never  was  known  to 
utter  a  word  of  complaint  or  find  the  least  fault  with  the 
arrangements  made.  In  addition,  she  had  to  discharge 
the  duties  of  a  mother  to  her  predecessor's  little  daugh- 
ters, and  to  manage  the  affairs  of  the  family,  complicated 


i 


296        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

by  the  almost  incessant  visits  of  strangers,  some  of 
whom  often  remained  for  long  periods.  The  presence  ^ 
of  sickness,  too,  during  the  winter  succeeding  her  mar- 
riage, when  there  were  no  less  than  thirteen  cases  of 
measles  in  the  family,  had  greatly  added  to  Mrs.  Camp- 
bell's cares  ;  but  being  an  excellent  nurse,  and  devoting 
herself  assiduously  to  the  duties  she  had  undertaken, 
she  succeeded  in  managing  and  arranging  everything 
so  happily  as  greatly  to  relieve  Mr.  Campbell  and  leave 
him  free  to  pursue  his  accustomed  labors. 

About  this  time  Walter  Scott,  being  on  a  short  visit  to 
Pittsburg,  rode  out  to  see  his  former  pupil,  young  Mr. 
Richardson,  who  was  now  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  medicine,  some  thirteen  miles  from  the  city.  During 
the  interview  he  related  many  interesting  incidents  con- 
nected with  his  labors  on  the  Reserve,  which  excited 
much  surprise  on  the  part  of  the  doctor,  who  had  as  yet 
remained  quite  uninformed  in  respect  to  the  character  of 
the  religious  movement  in  which  Mr.  Scott  was  now 
engaged,  and  was  still  a  member  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  though  at  the  time  in  communion  with  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  his  immediate  neighborhood. 

The  statement  that  the  Christian  institution  was  quite 
distinct  from  the  Jewish,  and  had  a  definite  origin  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost  (Acts  ii.),  and  that  penitent  be- 
lievers were  then  commanded  to  be  baptized  for  the 
remission  of  sins,  seemed  to  him  as  a  new  revelation, 
accustomed  as  he  had  been  to  the  confused  ideas  of  the 
different  parties  on  these  subjects.  Upon  searching  out 
the  import  of  the  word  ba-ptism  after  Mr.  Scott's  de- 
parture, he  soon  found  it  to  be  immersion,  and  perceived 
that  from  trusting  to  human  teachers  he  had  been  pre- 
viously deceived  in  regard  to  it.  Resolving,  therefore, 
from  thenceforth  to  be  directed  by  the  Bible  alone,  he 


began  a  c 
whatever  i 
there  coul 
themselvei 
the  gospel 
world  bee 
baptized,  t 
would  ha^ 
case  was 
this  word  ( 
of  deceptit 
who  "  spal 
he  therefoi 
requireme: 
days'  jouri 
barn  in  St 
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ence  had 
ward  and 
and  the  dc 
prised  ant 
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meeting  w 
the  people 
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ing  been  1 
journey  o: 
render  th( 
in  that  obe 
and  a  ha] 
based  on 
had  consti 


298 


MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 


Soon  after  his  return  he  became  instrumental  in  form- 
ing a  church,  which  led  to  the  organization  of  a  second 
one  in  a  short  time  in  Washington  county,  where  several 
of  the  old  Brush  Run  members  still  resided,  and  where 
the  children  of  Thomas  Campbell's  ancient  friend,  John 
McElroy,  now  used  their  influence  to  promote  the  cause. 
Prominent  among  these  was  James  McElrojs  who  not 
only  defended  the  cause  with  intelligence  and  zeal,  but 
contributed  liberally  of  his  means  to  sustain  Walter 
Scott  in  the  evangelical  field.  In  his  efforts  he  v^as 
earnestly  seconded  by  his  devoted  brother  John,  as  well 
as  by  his  intelligent  sister  Susan,  who  as  early  as  1817 
had,  amidst  the  peculiar  trials  of  that  period,  led  the 
way  in  obedience  to  the  primitive  gospel.  Subsequently 
she  had  been  for  a  considerable  time  an  inmate  of  Mr. 
CampbelFs  family,  and  then  the  wife  of  Jacob  Osborne, 
whose  sudden  and  untimely  death  by  haemoptysis  in  the 
spring  of  this  year  (1829),  in  the  midst  of  eminent  use- 
fulness on  the  Western  Reserve,  was  much  regretted. 
The  advocacy  of  the  reformatory  principles  by  these 
intelligent  disciples,  characterized  by  an  unyielding  ad- 
herence to  the  simple  teachings  of  the  word  of  God, 
contributed  much  to  promote  the  cause — James  McElroy 
rendering  efficient  aid  to  Walter  Scott  in  forming  a 
church  at  Dutch  Fork,  and  also  to  William  Havden  in 
constituting  another  at  Braddock's  Field,  where,  at  the 
meeting  held,  four  entire  households  were  baptized, 
without  an  infant  in  one  of  them.  After  a  time,  the 
church  with  which  the  McElroy s  were  connected,  near 
Hickory,  was  dispersed,  many  of  the  members  removing 
to  Knox  county,  Ohio,  where  they  soon  established  two 
flourishing  churches  at  Jelloway  and  Millwood. 

A  few  months  after  his  union  with  the  church.  Dr. 
Richardson  removed  to  Wellsburg,  from  which  point  he 


DOMESTIC  LIFE. 


299 


had  the  opportunity  of  often  visiting  Bethany  and  en- 
joying the  society  of  those  who  assembled  around  Mr. 
Campbell's  hospitable  board.  Here  he  frequently  met 
the  revered  Thomas  Campbell  and  the  beloved  Walter 
Scott,  with  other  pious  laborers.  Here  the  sincere 
Joseph  Bryant,  who  lived  on  an  adjacent  farm  which 
Alexander  Campbell  had  lately  purchased,  together 
with  other  members  of  the  old  Brush  Run  Church,  was 
often  found.  Here,  too,  Mrs.  Bryant,  with  her  fund 
of  Scripture  inquiry  and  original  thought,  as  well  as 
other  pious  females,  added  charms  to  the  social  circle 
and  a  lively  interest  to  those  religious  conversations  and 
biblical  researches  which  formed  the  chief  enjoyment 
of  all. 

However  eminent  and  admired  in  all  his  relations  to 
the  public,  it  was  at  home,  amidst  his  family  and  friends, 
that  Mr.  Campbell  always  appeared  in  the  most  amiable 
and  pleasing  light.  It  was  delightful  to  witness  with 
what  unstudied  courtesy  he  welcomed  his  visitors,  and 
with  what  genial  pleasantry  he  placed  every  one  at  his 
ease,  so  that  no  one  could  long  feel  like  a  stranger. 
Without  apparent  effort  he  constantly  kept  up  the  charm 
of  social  converse,  adapting  the  theme  to  the  feelings 
and  circumstances  of  the  company,  and  always  seeking, 
if  possible,  to  impress  some  scriptural  lesson  by  an  apt 
and  often  witty  application  of  a  text,  or  to  commu- 
nicate some  truth  or  information  both  interesting  and 
useful. 

He  seemed  to  be  always  at  leisure  to  entertain  his 
guests,  and  that,  too,  with  a  mind  so  full  of  gayety  and 
free  from  preoccupation  that  no  one  could  have  sus- 
pected for  a  moment  the  immense  business  constantly 
resting  upon  him,  and  which  he  was  regularly  and  daily 
despatching  with  an  energy  and  a  facility  peculiar  to 


30O        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 


himself.  His  habit  of  rising  very  early — usually  at 
three  o'clock — gave  him  much  valuable  time  well  suited 
for  composition,  and  at  the  hour  when  the  house-bell 
rung  for  morning  worship  he  would  come  over  from 
his  study,  having  prepared,  often,  enough  of  manuscript 
to  keep  his  printers  busy  during  the  day.  When  break- 
fast was  over,  after  arranging  the  affairs  of  the  morning 
and  kindly  seeing  off  any  parting  visitors,  he  would  call 
for  his  horse  or  set  off  on  foot,  perhaps,  accompanied 
by  some  of  his  friends,  to  view  the  progress  of  the 
printing  or  the  farming  operations,  and  give  instructions 
to  his  workmen.  Delighting  greatly  in  agriculture  and 
its  collateral  pursuits,  he  was  familiar  with  all  their  de- 
tails, and,  while  ever  eager  to  gain  new  thoughts  from 
others,  the  most  skillful  farmers  and  breeders  of  stock 
often  found  in  his  company  that  they  had  themselves 
something  yet  to  learn.  After  dinner  he  usually  spent 
a  little  time  in  correcting  proof-sheets,  which  he  often 
read  aloud  if  persons  were  present,  and  then  he  would 
perhaps  have  a  promised  visit  to  pay  to  one  of  the 
neighboring  families  in  company  with  his  wife  or  some 
of  the  guests.  Otherwise  he  would  often  spend  some 
hours  in  his  study  if  engaged  upon  any  very  important 
theme,  or  occupy  himself  in  his  portico,  or  parlor  in 
reading  or  conversation. 

It  was  the  evening  that  was  always  specially  devoted 
to  social  and  religious  improvement.  At  an  early  hour 
the  entire  household,  domestics  included,  assembled  in 
the  spacious  parlor,  each  one  having  hymns  or  some 
Scripture  lessons  to  recite.  After  these  were  heard, 
oflen  with  pertinent  and  encouraging  remarks  from 
Mr.  Campbell,  the  Scriptures  were  read  in  regular 
sequence,  with  questions  to  those  present. as  to  the  pre- 
vious connection  or  the  scope  of  the  chapter.     These 


DOMESTIC  LIFE.  301 

being  briefly  considered,  he  would  call  upon  Mrs. 
Campbell,  who  had  a  good  voice,  to  lead  in  singing  a 
psalm  or  spiritual  song,  in  which  he  himself  would 
heartily  join,  and  then  kneeling  down  would  moat 
reverently  and  earnestly  present  before  the  throne  of 
grace  their  united  thanksgivings  and  petitions  for  divine 
guardianship  and  guidance.  Such  was  the  customary 
order,  but  the  details  were  often  varied  to  suit  the 
occasion.  Family  worship  was  not  allowed  to  become 
a  mere  routine.  He  knew  well  how  to  maintain  its 
interest,  by  making  it  a  means  of  real  instruction  and 
enjoyment ;  and,  by  encouraging  familiar  inquiry  on  the 
part  of  the  young,  he  managed  to  bring  forward  and  to 
impress  indelibly  the  most  charming  practical  lessons 
from  the  sacred  writings,  having  always  something 
novel  and  agreeable  to  impart  zest  and  interest  to 
exercises  which  in  many  cases  are  apt  to  become 
monotonous  by  frequent  repetition.  In  these  praise- 
worthy endeavors  to  bring  up  children  in  the  nurture 
of  the  Lord,  much  was  due  also  to  the  judicious  ar- 
rangements and  hearty  co-operation  of  Mrs.  Campbell, 
who,  like  her  predecessor,  made  all  things  subservient 
to  the  desired  end,  and  in  her  husband's  absence  her- 
self ofliciated  at  the  family  altar  when'  there  happened 
to  be  no  brother  present  accustomed  to  the  duty.  To 
her,  also,  Mr.  Campbell,  as  had  been  his  custom  with 
his  former  wife,  was  in  the  habit  of  reading  his  essays 
and  other  articles  for  publication,  playfully  reminding 
her  of  the  preacher  who  was  wont  to  read  his  sermons 
to  his  housekeeper  before  delivering  them,  in  order  to 
judge  by  their  effect  upon  her  what  would  likely  be 
their  reception  by  his  congregation.  Mrs.  Campbell 
always  took  this  smilingly,  as  a  standing  bit  of  pleas- 
antry, well  knowing  the  high  respect  her  husband  had 


302         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 


for  her  judgment.  He  was  well  aware  of  his  own 
satirical  vein,  and  wished  to  have  pointed  out  anj^thing 
which  might  possibly  give  unnecessary  offence,  listen- 
ing attentively  to  any  criticisms  Mrs.  Campbell  was 
encouraged  to  make,  and  not  unfrequently  adopting 
her  suggestions  and  softening  what  appeared  to  be  too 
tart.  He  greatly  respected  those  delicate  sympathies 
which  women  possess,  and  Mrs.  Campbell  had  an 
excellent  taste,  being  a  lady  of  considerable  reading 
and  culture,  of  a  very  serious  and  religious  turn,  fond 
of  Young's  "  Night  Thoughts,"  and  the  grave  poetical 
and  prose  English  authors  ;  not  at  all  addicted  to  gayety, 
but  on  the  contrary,  though  cheerful  under  the  sur- 
rounding happy  circumstances,  possessing  a  constitu- 
tional tendency  to  melancholy,  which  needed  only  the 
presence  of  calamity  for  its  development. 

Mr.  Campbell  greatly  desired  that  the  work  he  was 
about  to  issue  should  exhibit  a  milder  tone  than  the 
**  Christian  Baptist."  He  thought  the  religious  world 
was  now  sufficiently  aroused  from  its  apathy,  and  that 
the  spirit  of  inquiry  already  set  on  foot  would  ulti- 
mately effect  the  deliverance  of  the  people  from  clerical 
domination.  From  the  rapid  spread  of  the  reformatory 
principles,  the  union  of  so  many  of  different  parties  in 
the  primitive  faith,  and  the  evident  check  given  to  the 
progress  of  the  infidel  schemes  of  Mr.  Owen  and 
others,  he  was  also  much  impressed  by  the  conviction 
that  the  millennial  period  anticipated  by  the  Church 
was  nigh  at  hand.  He  felt  assured  that  a  reformation 
such  as  he  advocated,  which  proposed  to  go  back  to  the 
very  beginning  and  restore  the  gospel  in  its  original 
purity  and  fullness,  could  leave  no  room  for  any  other 
religious  reformation,  and  must  of  necessity  be  the 
very  last  effort  possible  to  prepare  the  world  for  the 


MILLENNIAL  HARBINGER.  303 

coming  of  Christ.  He  did  not  presume  to  fix  upon 
any  very  definite  period  for  this  event,  Scripture  analo^ 
gies  inclining  him  to  the  opinion  that  it  would  occur  at 
the  commencement  of  the  seventh  Chiliad,  answering 
to  the  seventh  day  or  Sabbath  when  God  rested  from 
the  work  of  creation.  He  did  not  deem  it  accordant 
with  the  principles  of  the  Reformation  to  assume  dog- 
matically any  position  in  reference  to  this  point  or  any 
other  of  the  vexed  questions  of  eschatology,  dimly  seen 
through  the  veil  of  prophetic  imagery,  but  as  this 
particular  subject  was  then  one  of  great  interest  with 
many,  especially  with  Walter  Scott  and  the  other 
preachers  on  the  Western  Reserve,  and  he  intended 
to  discuss  to  some  extent  the  Scriptures  relating  to  it, 
he  concluded  to  call  his  new  periodical  "The  Mil- 
lennial Harbingbr."  He  intended  to  embrace  in 
this  work  a  wider  range  of  subjects,  and  to  show  "  the 
inadequacy  of  modem  systems  of  education,"  and  the 
injustice  yet  remaining,  "  under  even  the  best  political 
governments,"  in  regard  to  various  matters  connected 
with  the  public  welfare. 


CHAPTER  IX.  • 

Political  experience — Beaver  anathema — Extra  on  remission  of  sins — Annual 
meetings — Journey  to  Nashville — Discussion  with  Mr,  Jennings. 

SOON  after  the  debate  with  Robert  Owen,  Mr.  Camj>- 
bell  became  unexpectedly  involved  in  a  political  can- 
vass for  the  office  of  delegate  to  a  convention  called  to 
amend  the  constitution  of  the  State  of  Virginia.  Dis- 
content had  long  existed,  especially  in  that  portion  of 
the  State  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  in  relation  to  the 
basis  of  representation,  the  right  of  suffrage  and  some 
other  matters.  As  representation  was  based  in  part 
upon  slaves,  and  these  were  held  chiefly  in  the  eastern 
section  of  the  State,  the  white  population  of  the  western 
portion,  though  nearly  equal  in  number  to  that  of  the 
east,  found  themselves  under  the  control  of  a  majority 
disposed,  they  thought,  to  legislate  too  exclusively  for 
the  interests  of  their  own  section.  Moved  at  length  by 
the  remonstrances  of  the  western  members,  or  fearful 
that  the  rapidly-increasing  white  population  of  the  west 
would  soon  outstrip  that  of  the  east  and  secure  political 
power,  the  Legislature,  during  the  session  of  1827-28, 
passed  an  act  to  take  the  sense  of  the  voters  on  calling 
a  convention.  A  large  majority  being  found  in  favor 
of  it,  a  deep  interest  immediately  spread  through  the 
commonwealth ;  and  the  most  eminent  men  in  the 
country  were  sought  out  as  delegates,  the  east  expect- 
ing to  secure  such  arrangements  as  would  enable  it  to 

304 


STATE   CONVENTION.  2,0$ 

retain  its  supremacj' ;  and  the  west  hoping  to  gain  over 
a  sutlicient  number  of  votes  to  remodel  the  constitution 
upon  different  principles. 

Four  delegates  were  to  be  selected  from  the  district 
in  which  Mr.  Campbell  resided.  Among  the  distin- 
guished politicians  of  the  western  section,  Philip  Dod- 
dridge, of  Wellsburg,  stood  pre-eminent.  He  was  a 
man  of  remarkable  abilities,  and  had  been  repeatedly 
a  representative  in  the  public  councils.  All  eyes  rested 
upon  him  as  the  political  champion  of  the  west,  and  he 
was  at  once  nominated.  Up  to  this  time,  Mr.  Campbell 
had  been  before  the  public  only  as  an  educator  and  a 
religious  teacher.  He  had  never  sought  nor  held  any 
civil  office,  and  had  no  desire  whatever  to  engage  in 
political  affairs.  So  strongly,  however,  were  the  public 
impressed  by  his  commanding  talents  and  his  success 
in  contending  against  clerical  power  that  a  very  general 
desire  was  expressed  to  take  him  up  also  as  a  candidate 
for  the  convention.  Many  of  those  most  forward  in 
this  were  among  those  opposed  to  Mr.  Campbell  in  re> 
ligious  sentiments,  but  from  their  confidence  in  his  abili- 
ties they  were  the  first  to  propose  him  and  the  most 
eager  to  induce  hira  to  accept  the  position.  So  entirely, 
however,  was  he  devoted  to  religious  reformation,  and 
so  averse  to  everything  connected  with  political  strife, 
that  it  was  not  without  some  reluctance  and  misgiving 
he  finally  consented  to  become  a  candidate.  It  was 
urged  upon  him  that  it  was  not  a  canvass  for  an  office 
of  emolument,  but  an  occasion  of  the  utmost  import- 
ance to  the  State  of  which  he  was  a  citizen,  as  the 
organic  law  was  to  be  amended  and  the  control  of  the 
eastern  and  great  slave-holding  portion  of  the  State  to 
be  resisted.  His  religious  friends  urged,  on  their  part, 
that  as  the  position  was  one  of  great  dignity  and  quite 
Toi„  n.— D  IS  • 


3o6         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

above  the  ordinary  sphere  of  politics,  it  would  not  com- 
promise him  in  any  respect  as  a  religious  teacher,  but 
would  probably  give  him  greater  influence  in  this  re- 
spect, and  afTord  him  an  opportunity  of  extending  the 
principles  of  the  Reformation  by  personal  intercourse 
with  the  eminent  and  influential  persons  in  the  State 
with  whom  he  would  be  placed  in  communication. 
Influenced  by  these  considerations,  he  finally  consented, 
with  the  express  stipulation  on  his  part  that  he  would 
not  be  required  or  expected  to  engage  personally  in 
the  canvass.  It  was  also  expressly  understood  that  Mr. 
Doddridge,  whose  influence  was  almost  unbounded, 
fully  approved  of  Mr.  Campbell's  nomination,  and 
would  gladly  accept  him  as  his  colleague.  No  sooner, 
however,  had  the  canvass  commenced,  than  Samuel 
Sprigg,  a  distinguished  lawyer  of  Wheeling,  in  the 
adjoining  count}',  and  a  warm  personal  friend  of  Mr. 
Doddridge,  offered  himself  as  a  candidate  in  opposi- 
tion to  Mr.  Campbell,  and  it  was  soon  discovered  that 
Mr.  Doddridge  was  lending  his  powerful  influence  to 
promote  Mr.  Sprigg's  election.  Upon  this,  Mr., Camp- 
bell addressed  some  letters  to  Mr.  Doddridge,  exposing 
and  severely  censuring  the  course  he  had  thought 
proper  to  pursue,  and  announcing  his  determination, 
under  the  circumstances,  not  to  retire  from  the  field,  as 
Mr.  Sprigg's  friends  probably  hoped  he  would  do,  but 
to  leave  the  issue  entirely  with  the  people. 

On  account  of  this  unexpected  opposition,  and  as  Mr. 
Sprigg  was  engaged  in  addressing  the  public  at  various 
points,  Mr.  Campbell's  friends  urged  him  to  forego  his 
purpose  of  remaining  silent  during  the  canvass,  and 
insisted  that  it  would  be  necessary  for  him  also  to  make 
some  speeches,  especially  in  the  more  distant  parts  of 
the  district,  where  he  was  less  known.    Yielding  to 


SPEECH  IN  MONONGALIA, 


307 


these  representations,  he  filled  several  appointments 
during  the  few  weeks  previous  to  the  day  of  election, 
at  which  time  he  made  it  a  point  to  be  present  at  one  of 
the  most  doubtfbl  and  important  precincts  in  Monongalia 
county,  where  Mr.  Sprigg  was  also  to  address  the  voters 
at  the  polls.  On  this  occasion  Mr.  Sprigg  spoke  first, 
and  took  occasion  to  descant  upon  the  unfitness  of  per- 
sons of  the  ministerial  profession  for  such  duties  as  were 
to  devolve  upon  the  members  of  the  convention,  and 
upon  the  importance  of  sending  delegates  whose  lives 
had  been  spent  in  the  investigation  and  practical  appli- 
cation of  the  principles  of  civil  government  and  consti- 
tutional law.  He  expounded  also  the  engrossing  sub- 
ject of  representation,  as  founded  upon  the  basis  of  the 
white  population  exclusively,  or  upon  the  compound 
ratio  of  white  population  and  slaves,  announcing  him- 
self in  favor  of  the  former  as  essential  to  the  political 
equality  of  the  western  portion  of  the  State.  Upon  these 
subjects  he  continued  to  speak  so  long  that  but  little  time 
was  left  for  Mr.  Campbell  before  the  opening  of  the 
polls. 

Under  the  circumstances,  Mr.  Campbell  manifested 
that  superior  knowledge  of  human  nature,  and  that  fine 
appreciation  of  existing  conditions,  which,  had  he 
chosen  to  devote  himself  to  political  matters,  would 
have  enabled  him  to  obtain  almost  any  office  within  the 
gift  of  the  people.  Knowing  that  the  audience  were 
somewhat  wearied  with  the  political  disquisitions  to 
which  they  had  been  listening,  he,  upon  rising,  re- 
marked that  he  could  not  think  of  detaining  the  people 
much  longer  from  the  polls,  and  then  proceeded  to  re- 
but, in  a  few  pointed  remarks,  the  arguments  which 
had  been  used  by  his  opponent  against  the  political 
competency  of  ministers  of  religion,  and  in  favor  of 


3o8         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

the  supposed  claims  of  lawyers  upon  the  confidence  of 
the  community.  He  then  briefly  expressed  himself  as 
in  favor  of  having  representation  based  entirely  upon 
the  white  population,  and  depicted  the  evils  growing 
out  of  the  existing  system,  where  men  enjoyed  political 
power  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  persons  they  held 
in  bondage.  Admitting  the  propriety  of  requiring  from 
candidates  an  expression  of  their  principles,  and  per- 
ceiving that  the  audience  consisted  almost  entirely  of 
farmers,  he  went  on  to  say  that  the  principle  which 
would  guide  him  was  one  of  a  very  plain  and  simple 
nature. 

"As  you  well  know,  my  friends,"  said  he,  "each  portion 
of  our  widespread  country  has  its  own  peculiar  interests, 
and  in  my  judgment  tliis  simple  fact  should  govern  the  entire 
course  of  its  legislation.  If  the  people  of  Virginia  were  a 
manufacturing  community,  then  its  legislation  should  be 
directed  lo  the  fostering  and  protecting  of  manufactures.  If 
we  were  a  commercial  people,  then  the  interests  of  commerce 
should  demand  our  special  attention.  But,  gentlemen,  our 
State,  having  no  large  cities,  contains  almost  exclusively  an 
agricultural  population,  and  I  hence  ai^ue  that  the  interests 
of  the  farmer  should  be  chiefly  considered  in  whatever 
changes  may  be  proposed  in  the  organic  law.  Agriculture 
is,  with  us,  the  commanding  interest  of  the  State;  and  while 
my  opponent  has  been  descanting  upon  the  white  basis  and 
the  black  basis,  you  will  permit  me  to  observe  (hiA  agriculture 
is  with  us  the  true  basis  of  prosperity  and  of  power,  and  that 
the  honest  farmer,  who  hy  his  daily  toil  increases  the  wealtli 
and  well-being  of  the  commonwealth,  becomes  its  truest 
benefactor.''  Extolling  this  virtuous  and  most  important  call- 
ing, showing  in  eloquent  terms  the  dignity  of  labor,  and  an- 
nouncing himself  as  having  been  for  years  a  practical  farmer, 
holding  with  his  own  hands  the  plough,  he  gradually  enlisted 
the  warmest  sympathies  of  his  audience,  declaring  that  should 
they  think  proper  to  send  him  to  the  convention,  while  he 


RESULT  OF  THE   CANVASS. 


309 


would  by  no  means  neglect  the  special  interest  which  the 
west  had  in  a  just  and  equal  representation,  his  aim  would 
be  to  secure  such  arrangements  as  would  best  subserve  the 
great  cause  of  agriculture.  "  *Tis  the  interest  of  the  farmer," 
said  he,  ^*  that  should  be  consulted.  It  is  his  welfare  es- 
pecially that  should  be  promoted,  since  it  is  the  farmer  who 
has  to  bear  at  last  the  burdens  of  the  government.  Allow 
me,"  said  he,  in  concluding,  "  to  illustrate  this  by  what  I  no- 
ticed when  a  lad  on  a  visit  to  the  city  of  Belfast.  In  viewing 
the  city,  I  recollect  that  my  attention  was  particularly  engaged 
by  a  large  sign  over  one  of  its  extensive  stores.  This  sign 
contained  four  large  painted  figures.  The  first  was  a  picture 
of  the  king  in  his  royal  robes,  with  the  crown  upon  his  head, 
and  the  legend  issuing  from  his  mouth,  '  I  reign  for  all.' 
Next  to  him  was  the  figure  of  a  bishop,  in  gown  and  sur- 
plice, with  the  inscription,  '  I  pray  for  all.'  The  third  was  a 
soldier  in  his  regimentals  standing  by  a  cannon  and  uttering 
the  words,  '  I  fight  for  all.*  But  the  fourth  figure,  gentlemen, 
was  the  most  noteworthy  and  important  of  all  in  this  pictorial 
representation  of  the  relations  of  the  different  parts  of  human 
society.  It  represented  a  farmer,  amidst  the  utensils  of  his 
calling,  standing  by  his  plough  and  exclaiming,  '  I  pay  for 
all !' " 

When  the  shouts  and  cheers  which  greeted  this  con- 
clusion had  subsided,  the  polls  were  opened.  As  the 
law  then  required  each  one  to  announce  publicly  the 
name  of  his  candidate,  in  order  to  have  his  vote  re- 
corded, nothing  for  a  long  time  was  heard  but  '*  Camp- 
bell," "  Campbell,"  and  it  really  seemed  as  if  the  choice 
was  about  to  be  unanimous.  At  last  one  individual 
came  forward  and  gave  the  name  of  *'  Sprigg;"  upon 
which  Mr.  Sprigg  arose  and  pleasantly  remarked,  with 
a  bow,  **  I  thank  the  gentleman  for  his  vote,  for  I  was 
really  beginning  to  think  you  had  all  forgotten  that  I 
am  a  candidate." 

When  the  votes  of  the  different  counties  were  re- 


3IO         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

turned,  it  was  found  that  Mr.  Campbell  and  Philip 
Doddridge  were  elected,  along  with  Charles  D.  Morgan 
and  Eugenius  M.  Wilson,  both  of  Monongalia,  to 
represent  the  district  consisting  of  Ohio,  Tyler,  Brooke, 
Monongalia  and  Preston  counties.  The  convention, 
composed  in  all  of  ninety-six  delegates,  met  at  Rich- 
mond on  the  5th  of  October,  1829,  and  was  the  most 
august  assembly  ever  convened  in  the  State,  numbering 
among  its  members,  James  Madison  and  James  Monroe, 
former  Presidents  of  the  United  States,  together  with 
Chief-Justice  Marshall  and  such  eminent  personages  as 
John  Randolph  of  Roanoke,  Judge  Upshur,  Benjamin 
W.  Leigh  and  Phihp  S.  Barbour,  Many  persons  from 
a  distance  attended  to  listen  to  tiie  debates,  and  among 
them  the  talented  T.  F.  Marshall,  of  Kentucky.  The 
preliminary  arrangements  having  been  completed,  com- 
mittees appointed,  etc, — Mr.  Campbell  being  on  that  of 
the  judiciary — it  was  not  long  until  the  existing  issues 
between  the  east  and  the  west  were  brought  forward. 
After  the  discussion  had  proceeded  for  some  time,  and 
Mr.  Doddridge  and  others  had  spoken,  Mr.  Campbell 
delivered  an  able  speech  against  the  proposition  to  ap- 
portion representation  in  the  House  of  Delegates  accord- 
ing to  the  white  population  and  taxation  combined,  for 
which  the  east  strenuously  contended,  and  which  on 
account  of  the  tax  on  slaves  would  have  had  the  effect 
of  perpetuating  the  political  power  of  the  slaveholders. 
It  would  be  out  of  place  here  to  enter  into  the  merits 
'  of  these  discussions,  or  to  institute  a  comparison  between 
the  arguments  of  Mr.  Campbell  and  those  of  others. 
Suffice  it  to  say  that  he  endeavored  to  establish  four 
points :  I.  That  the  principles  upon  which  such  a  propo- 
sition was  founded  rested  upon  views  of  society  unphi- 
losophic  and  anti-republican.     2.  That  such  a  basis  of 


DEBATES  IN  CONVENTION. 


3" 


representation  was  the  common  basis  of  aristocratical 
and  monarchical  governments.  3.  That  it  could  not  be 
made  palatable  to  a  majority  of  the  freeholders  of  Vir- 
ginia ;  and  4.  That  the  white  population  basis  would 
operate  to  the  advantage  of  the  whole  State.  In  discuss- 
ing these  points  he  entered  upon  the  subject  of  human 
rights,  and  exposed  briefly  but  pointedly  the  fallacies 
of  those  who  wished  to  establish  such  an  inequality  in 
the  right  of  suffrage.  He  here  incidentally  manifested 
the  natural  tendency  of  his  mind  to  reach  beyond 
merely  arbitrary  and  conventional  arrangements  and  to 
contemplate  things  in  relation  to  some  grand  general 
principle. 

"  While,  sir,"  said  he,  '*  I  am  on  the  subject  of  such  a  state 
of  nature,  or  viewing  man  as  coming  into  society,  may  I  not 
take  occasion  to  observe  that  man  exhibits  himself  as  fK>ssess- 
ing  the  right  of  suffrage  anterior  to  his  coming  into  the  social 
compact.  It  is  not  a  right  derived  from  or  conferred  by 
society,  for  it  is  a  right  which  belongs  to  him  as  a  man. 
Society  may  divest  him  of  it,  but  it  cannot  confer  it.  But 
what  is  the  right?  It  is  that  of  thhiking,  willing  and  express- 
ing his  will.  A  vote  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  the  ex- 
pression of  a  man's  will.  God  has  given  to  man  the  power 
of  thinking,  willing  and  expressing  his  will,  and  no  man  ever 
did,  as  a  free  agent,  enter  into  any  society  without  willing  it. 
And,  we  may  add,  no  man  could  enter  into  a  social  compact 
without  first  exercising  what  we  must  call  the  right  of  suf- 
frage. It  is  a  right  natural  and  underived^  to  the  exercise 
of  which  every  man  has  by  nature  as  good  a  reason  as 
another." 

Again,  in  referring  to  an  argument  of  Judge  Upshur,  he  re- 
marked :  "  This  gentleman  starts  with  the  postulate  that  there 
are  two  sorts  of  majorities — numbers  and  interests  ;  in  plain 
English,  men  and  money.  I  do  not  understand  why  he 
should  not  have  added  also  majorities  of  talent,  physical 
strength,  scientific  skill  and  general  literature.     These  are 


312        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

all  more  valuable  than  money,  and  as  useful  to  the  State.  A 
Robert  Fulton,  a  General  Jackson,  a  Joseph  Lancaster,  a  Ben- 
jamin Franklin  is  as  useful  to  the  State  as  a  whole  district  of 
mere  slaveholders.  Now  all  the  logic,  metaphysics  and 
rhetoric  of  this  assembly  must  be  put  in  requisition  to  show 
why  a  citizen  having  a  hundred  negroes  should  have  ten 
times  more  political  power  than  a  Joseph  Lancaster  or  a 
Robert  Fulton  with  only  a  house  and  garden.  And  if  scien- 
tific skill,  physical  strength,  military  prowess  or  general  litera- 
ture in  some  individuals  is  entitled  to  so  much  respect,  why 
ought  not  these  majorities  in  a  community  to  have  as  much 
weight  as  mere  wealth  ?  We  admit  that  fifty  men  in  one  dis- 
trict may  have  as  much  money  as  five  hundred  in  another, 
but  we  can  see  no  good  reason  why  the  superabundant 
wealth  of  those  fif\y  should  be  an  equivalent,  or  rather  a  coun- 
terpoise, against  four  hundred  and  fifly  citizens  in  another." 

During  the  sittings  of  the  convention,  Mr.  Campbell 
delivered  several  speeches,  and  sought  earnestly  to 
secure  for  the  west  the  changes  which  were  demanded. 
After  many  days'  debating,  however,  it  appeared  evi- 
dent that  the  eastern  majority  was  determined  to  per- 
petuate its  rule,  and  that  no  satisfactory  adjustment  or 
compromise  could  be  effected.  The  constitution,  accord- 
ingly, which  was  at  length  drawn  up  and  submitted  to 
the  convention  January  14,  1830,  and  which  retained 
those  provisions  to  which  the  west  was  opposed,  was 
finally  adopted  by  a  majority  of  fourteen  votes. 

While  in  attendance  as  a  delegate,  Mr.  Campbell  never 
suffered  his  religious  position  to  be  obscured  or  compro- 
mised for  a  moment.  The  great  matters  concerning  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  were  far  dearer  to  him  than  any 
earthly  interests,  and  he  accordingly,  during  his  stay  at 
Richmond,  was  careful  to  make  his  position  as  member 
of  the  convention  contribute  as  much  as  possible  to  his 
influence  as  a  religious  teacher.     In  his  private  intei- 


INFLUENCE  AT  RICHMOND. 


313 


course  with  distinguished  persons  and  in  the  social 
circle,  he  neglected  no  proper  opportunity  to  press  the 
claims  of  religion,  and  on  every  Lord's  day  addressed 
large  audiences  upon  the  great  themes  of  the  primitive 
gospel.  Many  of  the  members  of  the  convention  at- 
tended his  meetings,  and  were  greatly  impressed  with 
his  remarkable  powers,  the  novel  simplicity  of  his  re- 
ligious views,  and  the  vast  range  of  thought  and  scrip- 
tural knowledge  which  he  displayed.  As  illustrating 
the  impression  which  he  made,  it  may  be  stated,  that  as 
ex-President  Madison  was  returning  home  from  the 
convention,  he  stopped  during  the  first  night  with  a  rela- 
tive, Mr.  Edmund  Pendleton,  of  Louisa,  and  early  next 
morning,  as  he  and  Mr.  Pendleton  were  walking  on  the 
portico,  the  latter,  who  was  somewhat  favorable  to  the 
principles  of  the  Reformation,  asked  Mr.  Madison  what 
he  thought  of  Alexander  Campbell.  Mr.  Madison  in 
reply  spoke  in  very  high  terms  of  the  ability  shown  by 
him  in  the  convention.  *'  But,*'  continued  he,  "  it  is  as 
a  theologian  that  Mr.  Campbell  must  be  known.  It 
was  my  pleasure  to  hear  him  very  often  as  a  preacher 
of  the  gospel,  and  I  regard  him  as  the  ablest  and  most 
original  expounder  of  the  Scriptures  I  have  ever  heard." 
Mr.  Campbell's  political  position  tended  greatly  to  in- 
fluence and  to  secure,  even  from  those  who  were  prej- 
udiced against  him,  that  consideration  which  his  abili- 
ties and  his  native  dignity  of  character  merited.  His 
sojourn  and  preaching  in  Richmond  also  contributed  in 
no  small  degree  to  promote  the  spread  of  his  views  of 
religious  reformation  amongst  the  community  there,  and 
led  to  the  formation  of  some  warm  friendships.  Many 
came  from  a  distance  to  see  and  hear  him,  and  to  con- 
fer with  him  on  religious  subjects.  One,  a  young  phy- 
sician, who  had  been  the  subject  of  deep  convictions, 

27 


3H        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 


and  had  become  enlightened  by  reading  the  **  Christian 
Baptist,"  traveled  more  than  a  hundred  miles  for  these 
purposes  and  to  be  baptized  by  Mr.  Campbell  at  Rich- 
mond. Many  interviews  were  sought  also  by  the  citi- 
zens, and  profitable  conversations  held,  among  which 
was  one  of  unusual  interest  with  the  ruler  of  the  Jewish 
synagogue,  the  venerable  Mr.  Judah,  published  in  the 
**Mill.  Harb.,"vol.  i.,  p.  561. 

Among  the  persons  there  introduced  to  him  was  R. 
L.  Coleman,  a  young  Baptist  preacher  from  Albemarle 
county,  for  whom  Mr.  Campbell  conceived  a  special  re- 
gard, and  who  became  afterward  one  of  the  chief  sup- 
porters of  the  cause  in  Eastern  Virginia.  Mr.  Coleman 
was  born  three  miles  from  Scottsville,  May  13,  1807, 
and  was  the  son  of  Joseph  Coleman,  a  Calvinistic  Bap- 
tist. The  death  of  his  mother  when  he  was  nine  years 
of  age  made  a  very  deep  and  permanent  impression 
upon  him,  and  led  him  to  religious  reflection  and  much 
prayerfulness.  He  was  thus  preserved  from  many 
youthful  snares,  and,  though  naturally  of  a  fearless, 
sensitive  and  ardent  temperament,^  was  enabled  to  resist 
the  influence  and  example  of  those  who  were  wild  and 
dissipated.  When  he  had  reached  the  age  of  sixteen, 
the  death  of  his  eldest  brother  greatly  deepened  his  re- 
ligious impressions,  and  he  resolved  that  he  would  en- 
deavor to  become  a  Christian,  devoting  himself  to  read- 
ing religious  works  and  attending  religious  meetings. 
Being  under  the  impression  that  the  Methodists  were 
the  most  zealous  and  successful  preachers,  he  first  visited 
their  meetings,  and  day  after  day,  at  the  mourners' 
bench,  sought  the  benefit  of  their  prayers,  in  hopes  of 
receiving  that  assurance  of  salvation  he  had  been  taught 
to  expect.  Failing  in  this,  however,  while  many  of  his 
acquaintances,  who  had  been  careless  and  unconcerned, 


THEORY  AND  PRACTICE. 


3^5 


professed  to  be  converted,  he,*  after  a  year  or  two,  ceased 
to  attend  these  meetings,  which  left  him  still  uncomibrted 
and  unhappy,  and  remained  at  home  to  read  the  Bible 
and  pray.  Such,  at  this  time«  were  his  mental.anxieties 
and  constant  watchfulness  that  his  health  failed  €uid  his 
spirits  were  greatly  depressed.  Finally,  however,  he 
became  satisfied,  from  reading  the  Bible,  that  Jesus  was 
the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  that  he  had  come  into  the 
world  and  died  for  sinners,  and  that  he  was  both  willing 
and  able  to  save  them.  He  fielt,  also,  that  he.wjas  a 
sinner,  and  that  he  was  not  only, willing  to  be.^saved^ 
but  that  he  would  give  the  world,  if  it  were  in  his  posr 
session,-  to  become  a  Christian.  While  sitting  under  a 
tree  and  reflecting  upon  this  subject,  the  question  pre- 
sented itself  to  him — Why  am  I  not  saved?  He  saw 
that  Christ  needed  not  to  be  made  willing  to  save  him 
by  the  intercession  of  preachers,  for  he  said,  ''  He  that 
is  willing  to  come  unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out ;" 
but,  though  he  fully  believed  this,  and  also  knew  that 
he  was  willing  to  be  saved,  he  had  no  assurance  that  he 
was  saved,  and  remained  unable  to  give  any  reason  why 
he  did  not  enjoy  this  assurance.  He  was  satisfied  that 
his  heart  was  changed,  that  he  loved  God  and  the  people 
of  God ;  and  that  he  took  pleasure  in  praying  to  God 
and  desired  to  serve  him,  but  still  had  no  assurance  that 
his  sins  had  been  forgiven.  As  he  had  now  been  for 
about  three  years  diligently  engaged  in  seeking  for  this, 
as  the  usual  preliminary  to  a  public  profession,  he  felt 
that  he  could  do  no  more,  and  determined  to  offer  him- 
self before  the  Baptist  church  as  a  candidate  for  bap- 
tism. He  was  unable  to  say  that  he  had  received  any 
assurance  of  forgiveness,  but  when  he  had  related  to 
the  church  the  exercises  of  mind  which  he  had  ex- 
perienced, he  was  adjudged  to  be  a  fit  subject  for  bap- 


3i6 


MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 


tism.  Next  morning,  when  he  went  down  to  be  bap- 
tized, his  mind  remained  still  dark  and  gloomy  in 
relation  to  the  assurance  of  pardon  which  had  so  long 
engrossed  it ;  but  he  was  no  sooner  buried  in  baptism 
than  he  arose  from  the  water  with  entirely  new  views 
and  feelings.  Perfected  by  obedience,  his  faith  had 
become  effective ;  the  darkness  of  his  mind  was  at  once 
illuminated ;  he  realized  that  his  sins  had  been  washed 
away  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  that  of  this  he  had  re- 
ceived, in  baptism,  the  assurance  he  had  so  long  sought 
in  vain.  From  that  moment  his  former  anxieties  and 
fears  for  ever  disappeared. 

Mr.  Coleman  was  not  at  this  time  at  all  acquainted 
with  Mr.  Campbell's  views.  From  rumor  he  had  been 
led  to  regard  him  as  a  sort  of  semi-infidel,  and  little 
thought  that  in  his  own  experience  he  had  been  just 
illustrating  some  of  the  very  things  which  Mr.  Camp- 
bell was  laboring  to  impress  upon  the  religious  com- 
munity— viz. :  the  error  of  waiting  for  special  spiritual 
operations,  and  of  depending  on  variable  frames  and 
feelings  for  the  hope  of  acceptance,  rather  than  upon 
the  word  of  God  and  the  obedience  of  faith.  Shortly 
after  this,  a  young  Baptist  preacher,  Gilbert  Mason, 
visiting  that  part  of  Virginia,  insisted  on  Mr.  Coleman 
accompanying  him  on  some  of  his  preaching  excursions, 
and  by  degrees  induced  him  to  offer  public  prayer,  and, 
after  some  time,  to  give  an  exhortation.  Finally,  he 
prevailed  upon  him  to  take  a  text  and  deliver  a  sermon. 
Much  pleased  with  his  effort,  Mr.  Mason  persuaded 
him  to  renew  it,  until  at  length  he  so  far  overcame 
his  diflSdence  that  he  consented  to  assist  other  preachers 
at  their  meetings.  After  traveling  about  for  some  time 
in  this  way,  he  was  urged  by  two  Baptist  preachers, 
Elders  John  Goss  and  Porter  Cleaveland,  to  unite  with 


SUCCESSFUL  LABORS, 


317 


them  in  keeping  up  alternately  a  monthly  Baptist  meet- 
ing in  Charlottesville,  where  no  church  had  as  yet  been 
formed.  Having  acquiesced  through  their  persuasion 
and  his  desire  to  do  good,  an  appointment  was  made 
for  him,  which  afterward  upon  reflection  he  greatly 
regretted,  being  distressed  at  the  idea  of  having  to 
appear  before  the  superior  community  of  Charlottesville 
and  the  literary  and  distinguished  persons  belonging  to 
the  University  of  Virginia.  Compelled,  however,  by 
his  promise,  he  set  out  for  his  appointment  oppressed 
with  many  anxieties  and  fears,  and  seeking  for  help 
in  earnest  prayer.  At  length,  as  he  rode  along,  the 
thought  occurred  to  him,  *'I  am  willing  to  be  a  fool 
for  Christ's  sake,"  when  in  an  instant  his  anxiety  dis- 
appeared and  he  became  perfectly  tranquil  in  resigna- 
tion to  the  will  of  God.  Entering  the  house,  he  found 
the  congregation  large,  and  feeling  relieved  from  all 
considerations  of  self,  he  stood  up  in  the  pulpit  without 
perturbation,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  unusual  freedom 
began  to  address  the  congregation  from  the  text,  *'  How 
shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation?"  In 
appearance  he  was  tall  and  prepossessing,  graceful  in 
his  manner,  copious  in  diction,  abundant  and  apposite 
in  his  quotations  of  Scripture ;  and  the  people  soon  be- 
came deeply  interested  as  the  young  preacher  dwelt 
with  feeling  and  earnestness  upon  the  important  query 
to  which  he  had  directed  their  attention.  So  highly 
pleased  were  all  with  the  discourse  that  he  was  invited 
to  speak  again  in  the  evening,  but  declined  doing  so. 
The  other  preachers  failing  to  carry  out  their  arrange- 
ment for  monthly  preaching,  this  now  devolved  upon 
Mr.  Coleman,  who  subsequently,  with  the  aid  of  Mr. 
Mason,  held  a  meeting  of  some  days,  baptizing  a 
number   and   constituting   a    Baptist   church   of   some 

27* 


3i8 


MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 


sixty  members.  Under  his  labors  the  church  there 
continued  to  prosper,  so  that  in  two  or  three  years 
its  membership  had  increased  to  two  hundred,  and 
he  was  duly  ordained  its  pastor  in  May,  1831,  by 
Elders  John  Goss  and  Porter  Cleaveland.  As  he  had 
now  become  one  of  the  most  popular  preachers  in  the 
Baptist  ranks,  he  was  kept  constantly  in  the  field, 
happy  in  being  able  to  speak  to  his  fellow-creatures  on 
the  great  subject  of  salvation  and  to  enjoy  the  society 
and  fellowship  of  those  who  professed  to  love  the  Lord. 
Such  was  his  zeal  and  ardor  that,  though  delicate  in 
health,  he  labored  more  abundantly  than  mSny  who 
were  vigorous,  preaching  not  only  at  Charlottesville, 
but  in  Scottsville,  Lynchburg,  through  the  valley  from 
Staunton  to  the  Warm  Springs,  and  over  the  Alleghany 
to  Pocohontas.  Previous  to  the  meeting  of  the  con- 
vention, he  had  been  reading  Mr.  Campbell's  writings, 
and  it  was  with  great  pleasure  that,  upon  visiting  Rich- 
mond, he  for  the  first  time  saw  and  heard  him  deliver- 
ing in  the  First  Baptist  Church  a  discourse  of  three 
hours'  duration  upon  the  covenants,  based  upon  Ex. 
xix.  and  xx.,  and  Heb.  viii.  Greatly  impressed  with 
his  masterly  development  of  the  subject  and  his  accurate 
and  profound  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures,  he  became 
more  and  more  convinced  of  the  need  of  the  reforma- 
tion in  religious  society  for  which  the  speaker  so  elo- 
quently pleaded,  and,^,  with  his  usual  candor',  expressed 
his  approval  of  it  and  endeavored  to  maintain  its  prin- 
ciples among  his  Baptist  friends. 

Mr.  Campbell,  on  his  way  home  from  the  convention, 
filled  an  appointment  for  preaching  in  Upper  Essex 
meeting-house,  where  he  had  a  very  agreeable  meeting 
with  many  of  his  acquaintances  in  this  portion  of  the 
State.    He  enjoyed  particularly  the  pleasure  of  an  inter- 


^ 


STATEMENT  OF  MOTIVES.  319 

view  with  the  venerable  Bishop  Semple,  who  came  to  ' 
hear  him,  and  with  whom  he  spent  the  evening  in  re- 
ligious and  social  converse  at  the  hospitable  abode  of 
Thomas  M.  Henley.  After  prayer  and  praise  they  re- 
posed upon  the  same  couch,  and  in  the  morning,  after 
Mr.  Campbell  had  baptized  a  young  disciple  from  King 
William,  they  parted  with  the  kindest  wishes. 

"What  I  admired  most  of  all,"  aaid  Mr.  Campbell,  in 
speaking  of  the  incident,  "  was  the  good  temper  and  Christian 
courtesy  of  this  venerable  disciple,  who,  though  unable  to 
rise  above  all  hia  early  associations  and  the  long-received 
opinions  which  a  long  course  of  reading  and  teaching  had 
riveted  upon  hifl  mind,  yet  did  not  lose  eight  of  the  meek- 
ness nnd  mildness,  the  candor  and  complaisance  which  the 
religion  of  Jesus  teaches,  and  without  which,  though  a  man's 
head  were  as  clear  as  an  angel's  intellect,  his  religion  is  vain." 
This  interview  'was  succeeded  by  a  somewhat  extended  cor- 
respondence in  the  "  Harbinger"  with  Bishop  Semple,  which, 
though  kindly  in  spirit,  did  not  produce  agreement  in  opinion. 

Reaching  home  on  the  first  of  February,  having  been 
absent  since  the  twenty-second  of  September,  Mr. 
Campbell  found  many  letters  awaiting  reply.  Among 
them  was  one  from  William  Tener  of  Londonderry,  in 
his  answer  to  which,  ailer  referring  to  his  attendance  at 
the  convention,  he  says,  in  relation  to  the  motives  which 
had  influenced  him  in  becoming  a  candidate  for  the 
convention : 

"  But  you  may  ask.  What  business  had  I  in  such  matters? 
I  will  tell  you.  I  have  no  taste  or  longings  for  political  mat- 
ters or  honors,  but  as  this  ^as  one  of  the  most  grave  and 
solemn  of  all  political  matters,  and  not  like  the  ordinary 
affairs  of  legislation,  and  therefore  not  incompatible  with  the 
most  perfect  gravity  and  self-respect,  I  consented  to  be  elected, 
and  especially  because  I  was  desirous  of  laying  a  foundation 
for  the  abolition  of  slavery  (in  which,  however,  I  was  not 


I 


320        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

successful),  and  of  gaining  an  influence  in  public  estimation 
to  give  currency  to  my  writings,  and  to  put  down  some  cal- 
umnies afar  off  that  I  was  not  in  good  standing  in  my  own 
State* 

The  constitution  adopted  by  the  convention  proved, 
as  Mr.  Campbell  expected,  quite  unpalatable  to  the 
people  of  the  west.  When  the  vote  was  to  be  taken  on 
its  ratification  in  Brooke  county  he  was  present,  and, 
by  request  of  the  citizens,  gave  a  brief  exposition  of  its 
main  features,  expressing  the  hope  that  the  people  would 
reject  it  on  account  of  the  anti-republican  principles 
upon  which  it  was  based,  and  quoting  the  case  of  one 
of  the  counties,  largely  slaveholding,  which  would  have 
gained  representation  by  its  adoption,  but  which  had, 
nevertheless,  by  its  delegates,  **  voted  ior  -princi-ple  and 
against  power,"  This  brief  address  produced  a  marked 
eflTect,  and  was  much  admired  for  its  sententious  brevity 
atid  point ;  and  when  the  voting  was  over  it  was  found 
that  in  Brooke  alone,  of  all  the  counties  in  the  State, 
the  rejection  was  unanimouSy  three  hundred  and  seventy 
votes  being  polled  against,  and  not  one  in  favor  of  it. 
In  several  other  counties,  however,  there  was  a  near 
approach  to  unanimity,  as  in  Logan,  where,  out  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty-seven  votes,  there  were  but  two  for 
ratification,  and  in  Ohio  county,  where,  out  of  six  hun- 
dred and  forty-six,  only  three  were  found  in  its  favor. 
It  contained,  indeed,  in  its  unequal  provisions,  the  seeds 
of  its  own  destruction,  and  it  was  not  many  years  until 
the  eastern  portion  of  the  State  found  it  expedient  to 
agree  to  a  new  convention  and  to  concede  many  of  the 
reforms  which  had  been  urged  by  Mr.  Campbell  and 
the  other  western  delegates. 

During  Mr.  Campbell's  temporary  connection  with 
these   political   affairs   important  religious   movements 


FAULTS  IN  REFORMERS. 


321 


were  in  progress,  seriously  affecting  the  relations  of  the 
reforming  churches  to  the  Baptist  community.  His 
kind  personal  feelings  for  many  of  the  Baptist  preachers, 
and  his  strong  desire  to  continue  in. religious  connection 
with  a  people  whom  he  greatly  esteemed,  had  induced 
him  to  bear  with  many  deficiendes  in  their  system,  in 
hopes  of  leading  them  forward  to  better  views.  It  was 
now  becoming  evident,  however,  that  the  increasing 
bitterness  of  those  who  were  opposed  to  the  Reformation 
and  the  high-handed  measures  they  were  disposed  to 
adopt,  would  soon  result  in  division.  Mr.  Brantly, 
Abner  W.  Clopton,  Spencer  H.  Clack  and  others  were 
writing  with  great  acrimony  in  the  Baptist  periodicals, 
and  giving  such  misrepresentations  of  Mr.  Campbell's 
views  as  were  well  fitted  to  awaken  and  intensify  pre- 
judice and  opposition.  In  Kentucky,  John  Taylor,  an 
aged  Baptist  preacher,  was  preparing  to  circulate  what 
he  called  a  '*  History  of  Campbellism,"  giving  the  most 
distorted  views  of  the  teaching  and  purposes  of  the  pro- 
posed Reformation,  well  calculated  to  create  the  most 
bitter  hostility  in  the  minds  of  the  uninformed.  In 
various  places,  indeed,  exclusions  and  divisions  had 
already  occurred  with  individual  churches,  and  a  grow- 
ing spirit  of  alienation  was  making  itself  evident.  In 
the  spring  of  this  year  (1830)  the  Third  Baptist  Church 
at  Philadelphia  excluded  a  number,  who  immediately 
formed  an  independent  church,  adopting  the  ancient 
order  of  things.  IJut  it  was  in  Kentucky,  and  in  cer- 
tain portions  of  Virginia,  where  the  principles  of  the 
Reformation  had  been  most  widely  diffused,  that  the 
greatest  difficulties  occurred.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed 
that  in  these  the  Reformers  were  always  faultless.  As 
Mr.  Campbell  had  formerly  said,  "When  any  doctrine 
is  professed  and  taught  by  many,  when  any  matter  gets 

YOL.  II. — V 


322 


MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 


into  many  hands,  some  will  misuse,  abuse  and  pervert 
it."  Thus  some  excited  prejudice  unnecessarily  by  de- 
claiming against  church  covenants,  creeds,  etc.,  to  the 
legitimate  use  of  which  Mr.  Campbell  never  had  ob- 
jected. Uninformed  persons,  here  and  there,  gave 
just  offence  by  dogmatical  and  crude  assertions,  nor 
did  a  conceit  of  superior  knowledge  and  an  overbearing 
disposition  fail  to  quench  in  some  that  spirit  of  Christian 
love  and  moderation  so  necessary  to  success  in  any  at- 
tempt to  correct  the  religious  errors  of  mankind.  It 
cannot  be  truthfully  denied,  however,  that  the  Reformers 
in  general  were  conspicuous  for  the  forbearance  and 
patience  with  which  they  endured  the  misrepresentations 
and  injuries  of  their  opponents,  who,  in  their  hasty  zeal 
to  save  from  the  flames  of  progress  whatever  they  sup- 
posed to  belong  to  the  Baptist  cause,  destroyed  by  their 
rashness,  in  various  instances,  those  precious  things 
which  had  been  so  long  and  so  nobly  cherished  by  the 
Baptists  as  a  people — the  rights  of  conscience,  church 
independency  and  Christian  liberality. 

In  the  existing  state  of  feeling  a  slight  impulse  only 
was  needed  in  order  to  precipitate  results.  This  came 
from  an  insignificant  and  unexpected  quarter.  It  had 
happened  that  two  or  three  fragments  of  churches  on 
the  Western  Reserve,  as  at  Youngstown  and  Palmyra 
and  the  church  at  Salem,  which  refused  to  go  into  the 
Reformation,  had  united  themselves  with  a  small  Asso- 
ciation on  Beaver  Creek.  Here,  by  the  aid  of  a  Mr. 
Winter,  and  one  or  two  other  preachers  who  were  vio- 
lently opposed  to  Mr.  Campbell,  they  induced  the 
Association  to  publish  a  circular  anathematizing  the 
Mahoning  Association  and  Mr.  Campbell  as  ^*  disbe- 
lieving and  denying  many  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Holy 
Scripture,"  of  which  alleged  heresies  they  went  on  to 


AUTHORS  OF  DIVISION. 


323 


present  a  portentous  list.  This  document  was  circu- 
lated with  great  diligence,  republished  in  the  Baptist 
papers  with  commendation,  introduced  by  Dr.  Noel 
into  the  minutes  of  the  Franklin  Association  in  Ken- 
tucky, and  its  preamble  quoted  as  an  introduction  to 
decrees  by  the  Appomattox  Association  in  Virginia, 
denouncing  Mr.  Campbell's  writings  and  all  persons 
holding  the  views  expressed  in  the  Beaver  publication. 
These  proceedings  at  once  brought  matters  to  a  crisis, 
and  induced  the  Baptists  almost  everywhere  to  separate 
the  Reformers  from  their  communion.  A  spirit  of  dis- 
cord and  intolerance  seemed  to  sweep  over  the  land, 
creating  everywhere  embittered  feelings  and  high- 
handed and  arbitrary  decisions  on  the  part  of  churches 
and  associations.  Unable  to  allay  the  fury  of  the 
storm,  Mr.  Campbell  contemplated  its  movements  with 
composure,  and  however  much  he  regretted  the  ex- 
tremes into  which  the  Baptists  were  hurried  through 
the  misrepresentations  and  exaggerations  of  a  few 
bigoted  partisans,  he  entertained  no  fears  for  the  re- 
sults, which  he  plainly  foretold  and  calmly  awaited. 
After  characterizing  the  Beaver  anathema  as  **  a  tissue 
of  falsehoods,"  and  exposing,  by  irrefragable  docu- 
ments, the  immoral  character  of  Mr.  Winter,  one  of  its 
chief  prompters,  he  asks : 

"Who  is  making  divisions  and  schisms?  Who  is  rending 
the  peace  of  the  churches?  Who  are  creating  factions,  swell- 
ings and  tumults  ?  We  who  are  willing  to  bear  and  forbear, 
or  they  who  are  anathematizing  and  attempting  to  excommu- 
nicate? Let  the  umpires  decide  the  question.  For  my  own 
part,  I  am  morally  certain  they  who  oppose  us  are  unable  to 
meet  us  on  the  Bible ;  they  are  unable  to  meet  us  before  the 
public ;  and  this  I  say,  not  as  respects  their  talents,  acquire- 
ments or  general   abilities,  but   as  respects  their  systems. 


324 


MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 


Thciusands  are  convinced  of  this,  and  they  might  as  well 
bark  at  the  moon  as  to  oppose  us  by  bulls  and  anathemas. 
If  there  be  a  division,  gentlemen,  you  will  make  it,  not  I ; 
and  the  more  you  oppose  us  with  the  weight  of  your  cen- 
sure, like  the  palm  tree  we  will  grow  the  faster.  I  am  for 
peace,  for  union,  for  harmony,  for  co-operation  with  all  good 
men.  But  I  fear  you  not ;  if  you  will  fling  firebrands,  arrows 
and  discords  into  the  army  of  the  faith,  you  will  repent  it, 
not  we.  You  will  lose  influence,  not  we.  We  covet  not 
persecution,  but  we  disregard  it.  We  fear  nothing  but  error, 
and  should  you  proceed  to  make  divisions,  you  will  find  that 
they  will  reach  much  farther  than  you  are  aware,  and  that 
the  time  is  past  when  an  anathema  from  an  association  will 
produce  any  other  eflect  than  contempt  from  some  and  a 
smile  from  others." 

These  anticipations  were  fully  realized.  The  rent 
extended  much  farther  than  its  originators  expected  or 
desired.  Many  who  had  been  apparently  undecided 
declared  for  the  Reformers,  who  were  found  to  consti- 
tute the  larger  and  the  more  intelligent  portion  of  many 
churches,  and  who,  having  the  sympathy  and  confi- 
dence of  the  people  in  general,  and  the  aid  of  many 
eminent  and  influential  preachers,  were  able,  after  their 
separation,  to  sustain  and  carry  on  to  still  greater  ad- 
vantage the  reformation  in  which  they  were  engaged. 

Among  the  distinguished  preachers  who  about  this 
time  came  publicly  forward  in  support  of  the  Reforma- 
tion was  Jacob  Creath,  Sr.,  who  had  heretofore  been 
somewhat  cautious  and  tardy  in  deflning  his  position. 
To  his  surprise,  as  he  advanced,  he  met  Jeremiah  Var- 
deman  coming  back.  **  Hey,"  said  he,  **  Jerry,  what's 
the  matter?"  *'  Oh,"  replied  Vardeman,  **  if  this  thing 
takes,  we  shall  all  starve.  The  Baptists  are  not  too 
liberal  as  it  is."  The  diminished  contributions  from  the 
churches,  growing  chiefly  out  of  their  unsettled  and  dis- 


JEREMIAH   VARDEMAN.  325 

cordant  condition,  and  falsely  attributed  to  the  teachings 
of  the  Reformers,  had  been  employed  as  a  successful 
argument  to  retain  in  the  Baptist  ranks  one  who  was  a 
reformer  in  sentiment,  and  who  had  done  much  to  pro- 
mote the  cause  of  the  Reformation  in  Kentucky.  And 
as  is  usual  in  such  cases,  he  thought  it  necessary  to 
signalize  his  renewed  zeal  for  the  Baptist  cause  by 
urging  the  most  extreme  measures,  as  at  the  meeting 
of  the  Elkhorn  Association  in  August,  where  through 
his  influence  the  churches  at  Versailles,  Providence  and 
South  Elkhorn  were  excluded  without  examination  or 
committees  of  inquiry,  apparently  with  a  view  of  cut- 
ting off  a  few  obnoxious  individuals,  as  the  Creaths  and 
Josephus  Hewit,  who  publicly  advocated  the  primitive 
faith  and  order.  It  was  on  this  occasion  that  Jacob 
Creath,  Sr.,  delivered  a  speech  to  the  Association  in 
defence  of  the  rights  of  the  churches,  which  by  Thomas 
Campbell  and  ojher  competent  judges  present  was  re- 
garded as  almost  unequaled  for  eloquence  and  power. 
No  arguments,  however,  were  of  any  avail.  The 
majority  in  the  Association,  forty-two  out  of  seventy- 
one,  had  resolved  upon  its  course,  and,  much  to  its  dis- 
credit with  the  public,  proceeded  to  cut  off"  the  above- 
named  churches,  without  employing  any  of  the  usual 
restorative  measures  indicated  in  the  Scriptures  or  sanc- 
tioned by  Baptist  usage.  As  to  Jeremiah  Vardeman, 
his  public  life  in  Kentucky  closed  with  these  unfortunate 
proceedings,  which  at  once  spread  division  throughout 
the  churches  of  the  State.  Removing  imifiediately  to 
Missouri,  where  he  died  in  the  course  of  a  few  years, 
he  seems  not  to  have  retained  much  of  his  former  influ- 
ence. His  name  was  always  mentioned,  however,  by 
Mr.  Campbell  with  aflectionate  regard,  and  often  with 
the  remark,  "  I  knew  him  well,  and  if  I  had  been  in 


$26         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

'  Kentucky  at  the  time,  Jeremiah  Vardeman  would  never 
have  been  persuaded  to  abandon  the  cause  of  the  Re- 
formation." As  to  Jacob  Creath,  Sr.,  from  this  meet- 
ing of  the  Elkhom  Association  in  1830  he  devoted 
himself  wholly  to  the  estabhshment  of  the  reformed 
views  in  Kentucky,  in  which  he  was  eminendy  success- 
ful, converting  many  sinners  and  in  some  cases  bring- 
ing over  nearly  whole  Baptist  churches,  and  by  his 
prudence  and  mildness  doing  much  to  allay  the  asperity 
and  embittered  controversies  which  existed  at  this  period. 
Released  from  the  continued  opposition  and  jealousy  of 
prejudiced  brethren,  and  the  trammels  of  Baptist  cus- 
toms and  Calvinistic  theories,  this  faithful  laborer  re- 
joiced in  the  freedom  and  fullness  of  the  simple  gospel, 
and  along  with  many  other  able  preachers,  as  William 
Morton,  John  Smith,  Jacob  Creath,  Jr.,  etc.,  soon  or- 
ganized a  large  number  of  reforming  churches,  many 
of  which,  especially  in  towns,  adopted  weekly  com- 
munion, while  in  the  country  others  still  continued  the 
Baptist  custom  of  meeting  monthly,  when  only  they 
could  have  the  services  of  a  preacher. 

It  was  during  this  year,  and  about  a  month  before 
the  meeting  of  the  Elkhorn  Association  just  referred  to, 
that  Mr.  Campbell  issued  his  famous  "Extra  on  the 
Remission  of  Sins,"  in  which  he  presented  also  the 
scriptural  meaning  of  regeneration,  shortly  before  dis- 
covered by  Dr.  Richardson,  and  presented  by  him  to 
the  readers  of  the  "  Harbinger"  in  some  essays  signed 
"  Discipulus."  Entering  largely  into  the  whole  subject 
of  conversion,  Mr.  Campbell  showed  that  baptism  did 
not,  any  more  than  natural  birth,  change  the  nature  of 
the  thing  born,  but  its  relations,  and  was  simply  the 
means  of  introducing  the  new  being  into  a  new  state. 
Making  some  clear  distinctions  between  state  and  cha- 


ASSOC/A  TIONS, 


3>r 


racter,  and  between  the  principle  of  faith  and  the  ac- 
tions which  it  produces,  he  gave,  in  this  remarkable 
production  of  sixty  pages,  written  within  two  weeks,  such 
a  presentation  of  the  nature  of  primitive  Christianity, 
and  of  the  simplicity,  completeness,  efficiency  and  ex- 
cellency of  the  gospel,  as  had  never  been  exhibited  since 
apostolic  times.  A  very  large  edition  of  it  was  printed, 
and  being  extensively  distributed,  its  effect  upon  the 
community  was  very  observable.  The  simplicity  of 
the  gospel  and  the  design  of  baptism  had  been  already 
variously  presented  and  illustrated,  both  in  Mr.  Camp- 
bell's previous  publications  and  in  the  discourses  of  the 
numerous  able  preachers  who  were  now  advocating 
primitive  Christianity ;  but  an  exposition  of  the  gospel 
plan  of  salvation,  so  connected,  so  clear  and  compre- 
hensive, had  never  before  been  presented  to  the  public. 
About  this  time  the  lawfulness  of  associations  became 
a  question  of  interest  with  the  Reformers.  The  conduct 
of  the  one  at  Redstone,  and  the  recent  anathema  issued 
by  that  at  Beaver,  with  similar  proceedings  attempted 
in  Kentucky  and  Virginia,  had  exhibited  in  a  prominent 
light  the  tendency  of  such  bodies  to  the  exercise  of  arbi- 
trary power.  Many  began  to  fear  that  such  abuses 
were  inherent  in  the  very  nature  of  such  organizations, 
and  that  they  might,  however  prudently  managed  for  a 
time,  become  unexpectedly  engines  of  mischief.  As 
there  was  no  positive  command  for  them,  others  among 
the  disciples  regarded  their  existence  as  incompatible 
with  the  principle  they  professed  of  adhering  closely 
to  Scripture  precept  and  precedent.  Hence,  when  the 
Mahoning  Association  met  this  year  (1830)  at  Austin- 
town,  there  was  found  to  exist  an  almost  universal  con- 
viction that  some  public  expression  on  the  subject  was 
demanded  by  the  interests  of  the  cause.     Mr.  Camp- 


3*8         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

bell,  who  was  present,  entertained  no  doubt  that  churches 
had  a  right  to  appoint  messengers  to  a  general  meeting, 
to  bear  intelligence  to  it  and  bring  home  intelligence 
from  it,  or  transact  any  special  business  committed  to 
them.  He  thought  such  meetings  might  be  made  very 
useful  to  promote  the  general  advancement  of  the  cause 
and  the  unity  and  love  of  the  brotherhood,  and  was  in 
favor  of  continuing  the  Association,  or  something  like  it, 
which  would,  he  thought,  be  needed.  He  censured, 
indeed,  the  inconsistent  conduct  of  which  associations 
had  been  guilty  in  attempting  to  impose  their  decisions 
upon  churches,  but  felt  no  apprehensions  on  this  score 
in  regard  to  the  Mahoning  Association,  where  the 
churches  were  so  fully  enlightened  and  so  completely 
on  their  guard  against  encroachments  on  their  rights. 
A  large  majority  was,  however,  found  to  be  opposed  to 
everything  under  the  name  or  character  of  an  associa- 
tion, and  it  was  finally  resolved,  unanimously,  that  the 
Mahoning  Association,  as  "an  advisory  councilor"  an 
ecclesiastical  tribunal"  exercising  any  supervision  or 
jurisdiction  over  particular  congregations,  should  never 
meet  again.  It  was  then  resolved  into  a  simple  annual 
meeting  for  worship,  and  to  hear  reports  of  the  progress 
of  the  gospel,  and  such  a  meeting  was  accordingly  ap- 
pointed  for  August  of  the  next  year,  at  New  Lisbon. 
This  closing  session  of  the  Association  at  Austintown 
was  a  season  of  great  enjoyment.  During  its  continu- 
ance more  than  thirty  persons  were  baptized.  The 
news  from  the  churches  was  of  the  most  cheering  cha- 
racter, upward  of  one  thousand  converts  being  reported 
during  the  year,  although  out  of  the  ten  preachers  in  the 
field,  not  one  had  been  constantly  engaged,  nearly  all 
being  farmers  and  compelled  to  labor  for  their  families 
The  entire  contributions  for  itinerant  services  during  the 


THE  ANNUAL  MEETINGS, 


329 


year  had  scarcely  exceeded  five  hundred  dollars,  evin- 
cing the  spirit  of  self-sacrifice  which  prevailed  among 
the  preachers  and  the  efficiency  of  the  simple  gospel  as 
the  power  of  God  for  salvation,  even  when  presented  by 
men  of  the  most  ordinary  literary  attainments. 

In  the  same  month  in  which  the  Mahoning  Associa- 
tion resolved  itself  into  a  simple  annual  meeting,  the 
same  course  was  adopted  by  the  Stillwater  Association, 
assembled  at  Cadiz.  Two  years  before,  at  its  meeting 
three  miles  from  Morristown,  charges  had  been  brought 
by  some  of  the  preachers  opposed  to  the  reformatory 
movement,  against  Cyrus  McNeely,  because  he  had 
without  ordination  baptized  an  individual  who  presented 
himself  at  the  Cadiz  Church  where  he  presided.  Mr. 
Campbell  and  his  father  and  James  Phillips  were  all 
present  in  the  Association  when  the  case  was  brought 
up,  and  defended  the  course  of  the  Cadiz  Church  as 
being  not  only  scriptural,  but  according  to  regular  Bap- 
tist precedent.  Elijah  Stone,  Mr.  Pritchard  and  other 
opposed  preachers,  formerly  of  Redstone,  could  make 
no  effective  reply,  and  finding  themselves  baffled,  with- 
drew from  the  Association  and  formed  another  one, 
which,  from  its  littleness^  was  appropriately  called  Zoar. 
The  Stillwater  Association  met  the  following  year  at 
Well's  Creek,  above  Steubenville,  and  in  1830,  having 
at  Cadiz,  as  before  stated,  resolved  itself  into  an  annual 
meeting,  has  continued  ever  since  to  meet  in  this  ca- 
pacity regularly  on  the  Friday  before  the  third  Lord's 
day  in  August.  The  system  of  annual  meetings  thus 
introduced  was  afterward  generally  adopted  by  the 
churches  in  various  districts  throughout  the  different 
States.  These  meetings  have  been  occasions  of  happy 
reunions  between  preachers  and  members  of  different 
churches,  and  have  been  usually  attended  with  large 


28* 


i 


330         MEMOIRS    OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

ingatherings.  lo  no  case  has  any  attempt  been  made 
to  resume  the  powers  exercised  by  Baptist  associations. 
The  a&sembled  messengers,  instead  of  sitting  as  a  court 
of  inquiry  to  ascertain  the  standing  of  churches  as  to 
orthodoxy,  have  occupied  themselves  much  better  id 
laboring  to  convert  sinners  to  Christ  and  in  exhorting 
one  another  to  love  and  good  works. 

During  the  spring  of  1830,  Mr.  Campbell  paid  a 
short  visit  to  Cincinnati  and  contiguous  parts  of  Ken- 
tucky, attending  a  very  interesting  meeting  at  Mayslick, 
and  in  the  month  of  October  he  undertook  a  more  ex- 
tended tour  through  Ohio  and  Kentucky,  to  Nashville, 
Tennessee.  Traveling  in  a  gig,  in  company  with 
Samuel  Parmley,  of  New  York,  he  passed  through 
Zanesville,  where  he  preached,  and  continued  thence 
through  other  towns  to  Wilmington,  Clinton  county. 
The  whole  Baptist  church  here,  with  the  exception  of 
one  member,  had  embraced  the  ancient  gospel,  and 
within  the  previous  five  months  about  two  hundred  per- 
sons had  been  added  to  the  churches  in  that  region 
under  the  labors  of  Aylett  Raines,  Arthur  Crihfield  and 
Samuel  Rogers,  whom  Mr.  Campbell  much  rejoiced  to 
meet.  Mr,  Crihfield  was  a  man  of  considerable  ability, 
though  superficial  in  his  attainments.  He  seemed  much 
devoted  to  the  cause,  and  afterward  edited  for  some 
years  a  periodical  which  he  called  "  The  Heretic  De- 
tector." In  this,  growing  heady  and  opinionative,  as 
19  common  with  those  who  consider  other  people's  faults 
to  the  neglect  of  their  own,  he  lost  for  a  time  the  confi- 
dence of  the  brotherhood.  This,  however,  by  an  aban- 
donment of  his  censorious  and  imprudent  course,  he 
subsequently  in  a  good  degree  regained,  for  he  was  a 
sincere-hearted  believer,  and  falling  after  some  years 
into  a  decline,  gave  ample  evidence,  not  only  of  his 


SAMUEL  ROGERS. 


331 


confidence  in  the  truth,  but  of  his  regret  for  the  improper 
spirit  in  which  he  had  essayed  to  defend  it. 

Samuel  Rogers,  for  whom  Mr.  Campbell  had  a  very 
high  regard,  had  been  laboring  for  some  time  in  the 
cause  of  religious  reformation.  His  history  is  instruct- 
ive, and  may  be  best  given  in  his  own  brief  but  ex- 
pressive words : 

"I  was  born  in  old  Virginia,  November  6,  1789;  moved 
to  Kentucky  in  1793  ;  settled  in  Clarke  county,  Kentucky, 
until  1 80 1.  Moved  then  to  Missouri,  called  Upper  Louisiana, 
then  under  Spanish  rule.  My  mother,  a  pious  Methodist, 
sewed  up  her  Bible  in  a  feather  bed  to  keep  the  priests  from 
finding  it.  This  was  the  only  Bible  I  ever  saw  until  I  was 
grown.  My  father  urged  my  mother  to  leave  her  Bible,  as  it 
might  give  her  trouble  in  this  new  territory,  but  she  said  she 
must  have  it  to  read  to  her  children,  and  she  did  read  it  to  us 
much,  and  by  her  piety  and  counsels  tried  to  impress  its 
truths  upon  our  minds  and  hearts.  As  I  was  the  eldest  child, 
this  was  all  the  preaching  I  heard  until  a  grown  man. 

*'  After  my  mother  had  taught  me  to  write  my  name  and 
spell  a  little,  I  was  sent  to  school  three  months.  At  the  end 
of  this  time,  I  graduated  with  honor,  having  learned  to  read, 
write  and  cypher  to  the  rule  of  three.  This  was  about  all  our 
teachers  knew  themselves.  My  mother's  readings,  prayers 
and  counsels  gave  me  early  a  high  regard  for  her  religion. 
Though  my  proud  heart  often  rebelled,  yet  a  mother's  voice 
would  bring  me  back  to  sober  reflection  again.  I  heard  a 
Methodist  preach  the  first  discourse  I  ever  listened  to :  soon 
after,  I  heard  a  Baptist.^  I  liked  the  free  salvation  of  the 
Methodist,  but  disliked  his  baptism.  I  liked  the  baptism  of 
the  other,  but  disliked  his  Calvinism.  I  returned  to  Kentucky 
about  nineteen  years  old,  and  found  a  great  stir  occasioned  by 
the  late  strange  revivals  under  B.  W.  Stone  and  others. 
Many  abused  Stone,  while  others  praised  him ;  I,  however, 
went  to  hear  him  for  myself,  and  was  much  pleased.  He 
called  on  all  to  come  to  Christ,  and  invited  all  to  lay  aside 


r 


33»         MEMOIRS  OP  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

their  creeds  and  take  the  Bible  as  the  only  nile  of  faith  and 
practice.  I  was  pleased  with  his  preaching:  it  sounded  like 
the  truth — like  the  religion  I  had  read  of.  Whatever  may 
have  been  said  of  the  errors  of  Stone  and  those  people,  it  was 
evident  they  were  spiritually  minded,  and  the  most  prayerful 
people  of  their  times.  I  was  baptized  by  Stone,  1S12.  The 
war  came  on,  and  the  Church  became  greatly  demoralized ; 
and  I  among  the  rest  was  by  no  means  exempt  from  its  un- 
happy influences.  However,  after  the  war,  through  tlie 
preaching  of  Stone  and  others,  we  all  got  to  work  again,  re- 
newing our  covenants  with  God,  and  a  glorious  revival  fol- 
lowed. I  became  an  exhorter  by  necessity.  We  held  little 
meetings  from  house  to  house,  nnd  of^en  had  to  send  for  a. 
preacher  to  baptize  our  converts.  The  preachers  told  me  1 
was  called  of  God  to  preach.  I  had  not  thought  of  being  a 
preacher,  but  being  convinced  by  their  arguments  that  I  was 
divinely  called,  I  was  ordained  by  Stone  at  Caneridge  fifty- 
two  years  ago.  He  then  gave  me  a  Bible,  saying:  '  Preach 
its  facts,  obey  its  commands  and  enjoy  its  promises.*  I  was ' 
greatly  troubled  about  my  call.  I  contended  that  if  I  was 
called,  as  were  the  apostles,  I  ought  to  have  their  credentials 
and  be  able  to  prove  my  apostleship.  I  attempted  to  draw 
from  dreams  and  visions  and  vague  impressions,  some  super- 
human aid  ;  often  went  on  long  tours  upon  a  mere  impression 
of  the  mind,  taking  it  as  a  call.  I  thought  I  ought  to  perform 
miracles.  My  mind  was  often  in  a  wretched  state.  About 
this  lime  I  got  the  'Christian  Baptist,'  and  found  relief.  I 
believe  I  should  have  gone  crazy  but  for  Alexander  Camp- 
bell. I  was  not  slow  to  embrace  his  view,  but  knew  it  to  be 
truth  tlie  very  moment  I  saw  it,  and  at  once  and  in  haste 
adopted  it.  This  was  about  1S25.  'I  had  traveled  thousands 
of  miles,  preached  all  over  the  wilds  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Il- 
linois, Missouri — swam  rivers,  exposed  myself  to  every  dan- 
ger, saying, '  Wo  is  me  if  I  preach  not  the  gospel !"  I  was 
ardent,  impulsive,  enthusiastic,  and  my  labors  were  greatly 
blessed.  But  a  heavy  gloom  hung  over  me  when  I  would 
think  of  my  call  and  compare  it  with  that  of  the  apostles. 


ORDINANCES   OBSERVED, 


333 


"  Bless  the  Lord  1  Alexander  Campbell  came  to  my  relief. 
His  debate  with  Walker,  and  then  his  debate  with  McCalla, 
waked  up  the  people,  and  to  me  it  was  like  the  rising  up  of 
the  sun  after  a  long  gloomy  night.  I  heard  him  at  Wilming- 
ton, Ohio,  on  his  first  visit.  I  compared  him  to  Ezra  of  old, 
that  great  reformer  who  restored  to  Israel  the  lost  law  of  God. 
Stone  had  given  me  the  book,  but  Campbell  taught  me  how 
to  read  it  in  its  connection.  I  took  his  first  periodical,  the 
^  Christian  Baptist,'  and  since  that  time  have  taken  and  read 
everything  he  ever  published.  I  owe  him  more  than  any 
man  since  apostolic  times.  He  preached  no  new  gospel  and 
brought  in  no  new  God,  but  taught  us  to  worship  intelligently 
the  God  whom  we  had  ignorantly  worshiped,  and  to  go  back 
over  the  heads  of  all  human  teachers  to  the  great  Fountain  of 
truth  for  our  faith  and  practice. 

"Alexander  Campbell  taught  as  no  other  man,  but  with  a 
clearness  and  simplicity  that  carried  at  once  conviction  to  the 
mind  of  every  man  of  common  sense.  He  gave  me  the  New 
Testament  he  published,  with  preface  and  appendix.  I  have 
it  yet.  It  is  the  best  of  all  new  translations ;  his  preface  and 
appendix  are  invaluable. 

'*  I  have  sacrificed  my  whole  life  for  this  cause — received 
almost  nothing  for  twenty-five  years  of  the  time.  Baptized 
my  thousands — I  think  seven  thousand,  as  near  as  I  could  tell 
— but  have  a  beautiful  home  ready  for  me  on  the  other  side 
of  Jordan.  I  am  in  my  eightieth  year,  preach  yet  much,  my 
voice  as  good  as  ever ;  can  speak  in  the  open  air  so  as  to  be 
heard  by  one  thousand  people.     Amen." 

While  at  Wilmington,  Mr.  Campbell  was  much 
pleased  to  find  that  the  churches  in  that  vicinity  had 
adopted  the  ancient  order  of  things,  and  were  walk- 
ing in  the  ordinances  and  commandments  of  Christ. 
Under  the  labors  of  Samuel  Rogers,  the  church  at 
Antioch  was  the  first  congregation  in  Clinton  county 
that  met  for  these  purposes.  Nothing  ever  gave  Mr. 
Campbell  greater  happiness  than  to  find  those  who  had 


334         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL. 

made  a  profession  of  the  gospel  leading  pious  lives  and 
carefully  observing  the  means  of  grace.  These  were 
with  him  always  matters  of  far  more  interest  and  im- 
portance than  the  making  of  converts- 
Having  delivered  a  discourse  at  Wilmington  from 
Acts  iii.  12-26,  one  young  man  came  forward  and  was 
immersed  for  the  remission  of  sins  by  Samuel  Rogers. 
On  the  fifth  of  November  he  went  on  to  Cincinnati, 
where,  at  this  time,  there  was  a  congregation  of  nearly 
three  hundred  members,  prospering  under  the  labors  of 
James  Challen.  Here  he  spoke  twice  on  Lord's  day, 
four  persons  coming  forward  for  baptism.  On  Monday 
he  spoke  at  Mill  Creek,  and  in  the  evening  of  the  same 
day  at  Covington,  Kentucky,  where  the  Baptists  gen- 
erally had  embraced  the  Reformation.  Samuel  Parm- 
ley,  here  embarking  on  a  steamboat  to  descend  the 
Ohio,  Ephraim  A.  Smith  of  Danville,  Kentucky,  noted 
for  his  humility,  zeal  and  devotion,  and  a  particular 
friend  of  Mr.  Campbell,  became  his  fellow-traveler. 
Preaching  in  Cynthiana,  Kentucky,  in  Leesburg  and  in 
Georgetown,  he  went  on  to  the  Crossing's  meeting-house, 
where  he  also  had  an  appointment.  Here  he  received 
a  pressing  invitation  from  Richard  M.  Johnson,  whom 
he  designates  in  his  journal  as  "  the  author  of  the  Sun- 
day Mail  Report,"'  to  speak  at  his  house  in  the  evening, 

*  Mr.  Campbell  ber«  calls  Colonel  Johnson  "  the  author  of  the  Sunday  Mail 
Report "  by  courtesy,  since,  as  chairman  of  the  committee,  he  was  of  course 
the  reputed  author.  He  was  probably  led  the  more  to  do  this  as  he  did  not 
wish  the  authorship  to  be  attributed  to  himself,  as  had  been  done.  When 
his  frienda  said  to  him,  "  People  say  you  are  the  author  of  that  Report,"  be 
would  laughingly  reply,  "  People  say  a  great  many  things  that  are  not  true," 
and  so  pass  the  matter  by. 

While,  from  a  variety  of  drcuinsiances.  it  l«  difficult  to  think  that  Mr. 
Campbell  was  not  particularly  concerned  in  getting  up  this  document,  if  ivot 
by  (iunishing  the  original  sketch,  at  least  by  suggesting  the  course  of  argu. 
ment  or  sending  a  copy  of  bis  discussions  with  Prest  Wylie  and  others  upoD 


L.   I,  FLEMING.  335 

but  having  to  meet  appointments  at  Frankfort,  he  was 
compelled  to  decline.  At  Frankfort  he  was  very  kindly 
received  at  the  house  of  Governor  Metcalf,  whose  wife 
was  a  member  of  the  church.  After  preaching  in  the 
academy  and  baptizing  a  lady  who  presented  herself, 
he  went  on  to  the  neighborhood  of  Versailles  and  spent 
the  night  at  T.  Bullock's,  where  J.  Crealh,  Jr.,  was 
holding  a  meeting,-and  where  he  found  Josephus  Hewit 
and  L.  I.  Fleming.  The  latter  was  a  very  devoted  and 
pious  Christian,  for  whom  Mr.  Campbell  had  a  warm 
attachment,  and  with  whom  he  had  become  acquainted 
on  his  first  visit  to  Kentucky  in  1823.  He  was  a  na- 
tive of  Woodford  county,  born  near  Midway,  October 
15,  1798.  His  mother  was  a  pious  woman,  and  from 
early  boyhood  he  was  noted  for  his  devotional  spirit. 
He  united  with  the  church  in  Georgetown  under  the 
ministry  of  B.  W.  Stone,  from  whom  he  received  the 
chief  part  of  his  education.     He  soon  began  to  aid  at 


the  chief  questions  involved,  it  is  due  10  the  truth  of  history  lo  say  that  some 
claim  the  actual  authorship  for  Rev.  Obadiah  Brown,  a  Baptist  ministeT  at 
whose  house,  in  Washington,  Colonel  Johnson  boarded  Mr.  Brown,  when  a 
young  man,  had  filled  the  office  of  chaplain  to  Congress,  but,  by  degrees, 
became  much  engaged  with  politics  and  politicians,  having  considerable  in- 
fluence over  General  Jackson,  and  affording  him  valuable  assistance  in  the 
difficulties  of  his  stormy  administration.  He  was  regarded  by  those  who 
knew  him  best  as  a  man  of  very  great  ability,  and  is  said  lo  have  been  in  the 
habit  of  aiding  Colonel  Johnson  both  by  his  advice  and  in  the  preparation 
of  documents.  It  is  stated  by  a  highly  respectable  Baptist  minister  of  Albe-  • 
marie  county,  Vii^nia — W.  P.  Faiish,  who  was  at  the  time  a  partner  of  Mr.  • 
Brawn  in  the  stage  and  mail-carrying  business— that  he  charged  Brown  with 
being  the  author,  and  that,  after  some  evasive  replies,  he  understood  him 
finally  to  admit  the  fact,  expressing,  however,  the  desire  that  Colonel  Johnson 
should  have  the  credit  of  it.  From  these  bets,  some  of  which  have  come  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  writer  since  the  publication  of  the  first  volume,  and  for 
which  he  is  indebted  to  R.  L,  Coleman  of  Virginia,  the  reader  can  form  his 
own  conclusions  as  to  the  authorship  of  this  lamous  Report,  which,  at  least, 
embodied  the  Tiewi  which  Mr.  Campbell  was  known  ti 


336 


MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL. 


meetings  as  a  public  speaker,  but  was  especially  dis- 
tinguished by  his  habit  of  visiting  from  house  to  house 
in  order  to  promote  the  interests  of  Christ's  kingdom. 
He  was  so  humble  and  unassuming,  and  so  universally 
recognized  as  one  of  the  most  pious  of  men,  that  he  was 
everywhere  gladly  welcomed.  He  had  a  peculiar 
faculty  of  making  himself  at  home  wherever  he  went, 
attending  to  his  horse,  cutting  wood,  making  fires  and 
aiding  familiarly  in  everything  in  which  he  could  be  of 
service.  Nor  did  he  enter  less  readily  into  the  religious 
matters  of  the  household,  being  everywhere  '*  a  sweet 
odor  of  Christ,"  and  availing  himself  of  every  oppor- 
tunity to  impart  some  spiritual  benefit.  Ever  preferring 
others  to  himself,  he  literally  "  went  about  doing  good," 
and,  indifferent  to  his  own  comfort,  seemed  to  live  only 
for  the  promotion  of  piety  and  humanity. 

Mr.  Campbell,  after  preaching  in  Versailles,  where 
he  found  J.  Creath,  Sr.,  and  John  Smith,  went  on 
toward  Lexington,  and  lodged  with  B.  A.  Hicks,  where 
he  had  an  interesting  conversation  with  Brethren  B.  W. 
Stone  and  F.  R.  Palmer  upon  religious  reformation.  Ar- 
riving in  Lexington  on  Saturday,  he  stopped  at  the  house 
of  his  friend  Joseph  Ficklin,  and  after  dining  with  Dr. 
Woods,  president  of  Transylvania  Universfty,  repaired 
to  Dr.  Fishback's,  where,  in  the  presence  of  a  large 
company,  he  spent  about  four  hours  very  agreeably  in 
answering  questions  proposed  by  the  doctor  concerning 
the  Reformation. 

Next  day  he  addressed  a  very  large  audience  in 
Lexington,  from  John  iii.,  and  as  this  discourse  exhibits 
strikingly  his  power  of  tracing  analogies,  and  his  usual 
comprehensive  range  of  thought,  the  notes  of  it  are  here 
given  from  his  journal : 

"  After  attempting  to  show  w^j' John,  and  none  of  the  other 


ADDRESSES  AT  LEXINGTON.  33? 

evangelists,  narrated  the  interview  with  Nicodemus,  we  pro- 
ceeded to  speak  of  the  kingdoms  of  nature,  grace  and  glory, 
as  usually  defined.  The  constituents  of  a  literal  kingdom 
were  first  detailed.  The  propriety  of  the  application  of  the 
term  kingdom  to  nature,  grace  and  glory  was  next  vindicated. 
Then  the  analogies  between  these  three  kingdoms  were  traced 
in  the  prominent  characteristics  of  a  kingdom :  i.  The  crea- 
tion of  each  by  a  word  of  God.  z.  The  design  of  each  to  pro- 
duce beings  correspondent  with  its  constitution — natural  he- 
\n^i— gracious  htmg&— glorious  beings.  3.  The  adaptation 
of  the  means  employed  to  each  of  the  ends  proposed,  natural 
life,  spiritual  life,  eternal  life.  4.  The  three  births,  or  the 
modes  of  introduction  into  each  kingdom.  Tiis  Jirst  birth, 
natural ;  the  second  birth,  gracious  ;  the  third  birth,  glorious. 
The  first  birth  of  and  from  the  flesh,  the  second  of  and  from 
the  -water  and  the  Spirit,  the  third  of  and  from  the  grave. 

5.  The  ikwa^  salvations :  ist,  From  wa^«ra^  dangers  ;  God  is 
thus  the  Saviour  of  all  men  in  the  kingdom  of  nature.  2d, 
The  salvation  of  the  soul  from  the  guilt,  pollution  and  the 
power  of  sin  in  the  kingdom  of  grace.  3d,  The  salvation  of 
the  body  from  the  grave,  or  the  glorification  of  soul  and  body 
at  the  resurrection  of  the  just  and  in  the  kingdom  of  glory. 

6.  The  impossibility  of  being  a  citizen  or  subject  of  any  one 
of  these  kingdoms,  without  being  born  into  it.  7.  An  illus- 
tration of  the  whole  subject,  drawn  from  the  use  and  mean- 
ing of  the  outer  court,  holy  place  and  most  holy,  in  the 
tabernacle.  In  the  conclusion,  we  emphasized  on  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  or  of  grace;  the  importof  being  born  of  water 
and  spirit,  or  the  necessity  of  regeneration  in  order  to  admis- 
sion into  the  kingdom  of  grace.  These  were  items  in  the 
series  of  illustrations  presented  on  this  occasion.  After  the 
discourse,  Squire  Hickman,  once  a  Deist,  cured  by  our  writ- 
ings, presented  himself  for  immersion." 

In  the  evening  of  that  day  he  addressed,  by  special 
invitation,  the  medical  class  of  Transylvania  University 
on  the  following  questions  :  i.  Has  God  ever  spoken  to 
man?     2.  In  what  language  has  he  spoken?     3.  If  in 


338        MEMOIRS    OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

human  language,  how  is  it  to  be  interpreted?  4.  What 
has  he  said  to  us  in  his  last  message  by  his  Son? 

From  Lexington,  proceeding  southward  through 
Athens,  Nicholasville,  Harrodsburg  and  Danville — at 
which  latter  place  eleven  persons  presented  themselves 
for  baptism  after  his  discourse,  he  continued  on  his  way 
through  Columbia,  Glasgow  and  Bowling  Green  to 
Nashville,  preaching  at  various  points,  and  accompanied 
now  by  J.  Creath,  Jr.  On  Friday,  loth  December,  he 
delivered  an  address  at  Nashville  upon  the  character- 
istics of  the  apostasy  and  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  in  con- 
trast with  primitive  Christianity ;  and  as  most  of  the 
clergy  of  the  city  were  present  he  gave  out  an  appoint- 
ment for  the  following  evening,  when  he  proposed  to 
attend  to  any  inquiries  or  objections  which  persons 
might  have  to  offer.  When  the  time  arrived,  after  some 
inquiries  had  been  noticed,  which  were  proposed  through 
J.  Creath,  in  regard  to  faith  and  repentance,  the  pastor 
of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Nashville,  Obadiah  Jen- 
nings, rose  and  controverted  Mr.  Campbell's  views  of 
faith  as  merely  "  natural  faith,"  advocating  a  faith  pro- 
duced by  a  "supernatural  operation."  This  was  the 
same  Mr.  Jennings  who  had  been  active  many  years 
before  in  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  those 
fining  associations  called  moral  societies,  which  had 
attempted  to  enforce  by  law  Presbyterian  views  of  the 
Sabbath,  and  which  Mr.  Campbell  had  so  successfully 
resisted. 

Mr.  Jennings  was  a  zealous  Presbyterian,  and  doubt- 
less conscientious  and  sincere  in  his  efforts  to  sustain 
the  theological  opinions  of  his  party.  He  had  relin- 
quished the  successful  practice  of  law  at  Steubenville  for 
the  ministerial  office,  to  which  he  had  zealously  devoted 
himself,  having  been  pastor  of  the  Steubenville  congre- 


JENNINGS  DEBATE, 


339 


gation  for  six  years,  and  then  succeeding  Rev.  Matthew 
Brown  in  the  congregation  at  Washington  in  the  spring 
of  1823.  In  1828  he  removed  to  Nashville.  He  pos- 
sessed respectable  abilities,  but  was  not  a  popular 
preacher,  being  wont  to  write  his  sermons  and  speak 
from  notes,  but  this  practice  did  not  appear  to  be  neces- 
sary to  him,  as  he  was  much  more  effective  and  fluent 
when  compelled  to  speak  extemporaneously.  To  his 
first  address  Mr.  Campbell  replied,  and  Mr.  Jennings 
then  rejoined  in  a  speech  of  considerable  length,  after 
which,  alleging  indisposition,  he  retired,  and  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, after  a  few  concluding  remarks,  dismissed  the 
assembly. 

Next  day  he  delivered  a  discourse  on  Eph.  iv.,  after 
which  ten  persons  came  forward  and  were  immersed  in 
the  Cumberland  river- in  presence  of  an  immense  crowd. 
At  the  close  of  his  sermon  in  the  evening,  three  others 
came  forward,  who  were  immersed  next  morning  by  J. 
Creath.  On  Monday  evening,  Mr.  Campbell  preached 
again,  and  then  left  the  city  to  visit  Franklin  and  Co- 
lumbia, Tennessee,  in  company  with  P.  S.  Fall.  Re- 
turning again  to  Nashville  on  the  21st,  he  delivered 
another  lecture  there  on  Friday  evening,  at  which  Mr. 
Jennings  was  present.  Having  learned  that  the  latter 
designed  to  make  further  objections  if  opportunity  were 
afforded,  Mr.  Campbell  then  gave  another  invitation  to 
objectors  and  inquirers,  appointing  to  hear  them  next 
day  (Christmas)  at  ten  o'clock. 

When  the  hour  had  arrived,  he  proposed  that  in 
order  to  prevent  any  misappropriation  of  time,  some 
one  should  preside  over  the  meeting,  and  that  only 
twenty  minutes  should  be  allowed  at  one  time  to  each 
speaker.  Dr.  Felix  Robinson  having  been  requested 
to  preside,  Mr.  Jennings  soon  rose,  and  after  inveigh- 


34°         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

ing  against  the  proposed  "  Reformation,"  attempted  a 
defence  of  the  sects  against  the  censures  of  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, charging  Mr.  Campbell  himself  with  making  divis- 
ions. Mr.  Campbell  in  reply  showed  that  the  prin- 
ciples he  advocated  were  anything  but  sectarian,  since 
they  required  that  everything  for  which  there  was  clear 
scriptural  authority  should  be  received,  and  that  all 
opinions  should  be  held  as  private  property.  Mr. 
Jennings  then  attempted  to  sustain  the  doctrine  of  a 
special  divine  call  to  the  ministry,  and  in  the  course 
of  the  day  touched  upon  a  great  many  other  points, 
charging  Mr.  Campbell  with  fraternizing  with  Arians, 
criticising  at  considerable  length  the  new  version,  etc., 
and  finally  proceeding  to  deliver  strictures  upon  Mr. 
Campbell's  views  of  the  "  New  Birth:" 

Mr.  Jennings  had  very  adroitly  availed  himself  of 
the  privilege  which  Mr.  Campbell,  from  his  fearless 
confidence  in  the  power  of  divine  truth,  had  given  to 
objectors.  Having  provided  himself  with  abundant 
materials  in  the  numerous  misrepresentations  which 
had  been  circulated  against  Mr.  Campbell  and  his  views, 
he  flitted  from  one  subject  to  another,  dwelling  upon 
each  just  long  enough  to  infuse  the  venom  of  the  sting 
of  sectarian  hostility,  and  carefully  evading  any  direct 
collision.  Declining  to  assume  the  affirmative  of  any 
proposition  which  he  himself  believed,  he  said  that  "he 
had  attended  with  a  view  Ao  discuss,  not  Presbyterian- 
ism  or  Calvinism,  but  Campbellism."  He  determined 
to  avail  himself,  accordingly,  to  the  utmost,  of  an  advan- 
tage which,  had  it  not  been  conceded  by  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, would  have  been  justl}'  regarded  as  ungenerous, 
since  there  is  nothing,  however  true  or  sacred,  against 
which  plausible  objections  may  not  be  offered,  and  that, 
too,  in  a  much  shorter  time  than  is  required  for  their 


REGENERA  TION. 


34^ 


refutation.  After  Mr.  Campbell  had  indulged  Mr.  Jen- 
nings thus  during  the  day  in  making  these  assaults, 
he  at  length  proposed  to  remain  another  day  at  Nash- 
ville, provided  Mr.  Jennings  would  select  some  one 
topic  and  confine  himself  to  its  discussion.  To  this 
Mr.  Jennings  assented,  and  gave  as  the  subject,  *'To 
be  born  again ;  what  is  it,  and  what  the  effects  thereof?" 
still  carefully  avoiding  to  commit  himself  to  any  definite 
affirmation.  When  the  time  for  discussion  arrived,  Mr. 
Campbell  objected  to  this  as  merely  a  topic,  and  not  a 
logical  proposition,  and  after  considerable  delay,  Mr. 
Jennings  finally  agreed  to  the  following :  '*  To  say  that 
to  be  born  again  and  to  be  immersed  is  the  same  thing, 
is  /alse  and  cannot  be  supported  by  the  word  of  God." 
Although  Mr.  Campbell  regarded  this  as  an  awkward 
proposition,  he  consented  to  discuss  it,  provided  Mr. 
Jennings,  to  save  time,  would  concede  that  the  term 
regeneration  in  Tit.  iii.  5  was  equivalent  to  being  born 
again,  in  his  sense  of  the  expression.  By  this  time  it 
was  one  o'clock,  and  the  moderators,  Messrs.  Hayes, 
Foster  and  Payne,  adjourned  to  three  o'clock.  Mr.  Jen- 
nings then  spoke  first,  descanting  on  the  uncharitable- 
ness  of  Mr.  Campbell's  view  that  the  terms  immersion 
and  regeneration  were  applicable  to  the  same  act.  Mr. 
Campbell,  in  reply,  appealed  to  the  congregation  against 
such  attempts  to  arouse  prejudice,  and  which  had  noth- 
ing to  do  with  the  proof  of  the  proposition,  and  showed 
by  the  article  on  the  *'  Decrees"  from  Mr.  Jennings' 
Confession  of  Faith  how  ill  it  became  him  to  talk  about 
the  charitableness  of  systems.  Mr.  Jennings,  continuing 
in  the  same  strain,  was  called  to  order  by  Mf .  Payne, 
the  presiding  moderator,  who  was  a  Methodist. 

With  regard  to  the  merits  of  this  discussion  upon  re- 
generation, It  is  evident  that  it  was  mainly  a  debate 

29  • 


34'         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

about  the  meaning  of  a  term,  and  that  Mr.  Jennings, 
in  conceding  in  the  beginning  that  "  regeneration  "  and 
"being  born  again  "were  equivalent  expressions,  vir- 
tually yielded  the  whole  question.  Mr.  Campbell 
showed  that,  while  in  the  process  of  regeneration  a 
begetting  by  the  word  of  truth  (James  i.  i8s  I  Pet.  i. 
23-25)  was  necessarily  involved,  the  person  thus  be- 
gotten and  quickened  by  the  Spirit  could  be  justly  and 
scripturally  regarded  as  born  again  only  in  the  act  of 
immersion,  through  which  he  formally  entered  into  a 
new  state  and  assumed  publicly  the  relation  of  a  child 
of  God.  As,  naturally,  a  child  is  born  of  its  father 
only  in  being  born  of  its  mother,  so,  spiritually,  bap- 
tism became  to  the  believer  the  new  birth — the  "  wash- 
ing," "bath"  or  "laver"  {lourpov)  of  regeneration, 
after  which  alone  he  could  be  scripturally  recognized  as 
born  of  water  and  spirit,  and  legitimately  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  Hence,  by  the  early  Christian  writers, 
baptism  was  itself  termed  regeneration.  Mr.  Camp-  ' 
bell  did  not  really  regard  baptism  as  the  whole  process 
of  regeneration,  as  Mr.  Jennings  sought  to  make  appear, 
but  insisted  as  strongly  as  any  one  upon  a  previous  im- 
partation  of  spiritual  life  through  faith  as  indispensably 
requisite.  As  this,  on  the  other  hand,  constituted  in 
Mr.  Jennings'  view  the  whole  of  regeneration,  and  he 
desired  to  reduce  baptism  to  a  mere  emblem  of  "  spir- 
itual operations,"  it  was  evidently  neither  his  policy  nor 
his  aim  to  understand  or  to  represent  Mr.  Campbell 
correctly.  The  spirit  of  captiousness  and  perversion 
in  which  he  carried  on  the  discussion  is  indeed  fully 
exhibited,  in  the  pretended  report  of  it  which  he  pre- 
pared, and  which  was  published  after  his  death  by  his 
nephew,  S.  C.  Jennings,  who  was  also  a  bitter  oppo- 
nent.   This  work,  abounding  in  gross  personalities,  full 


PROVIDENTIAL   CARE. 


343 


of  misrepresentations  and  injurious  insinuations,  and 
bristling  on  every  page  with  the  most  vindictive  hos- 
tility, served  only  to  show  the  power  of  bigotry  to  pre- 
sent one  so  amiable  and  irreproachable  in  a  moral  and 
social  point  of  view,  as  was  Mr.  Jennings,  in  a  light  so 
totally  different  as  a  religious  partisan. 

During  Mr.  Campbell's  stay  in  Nashville,  more  than 
thirty  persons  became  obedient  to  the  faith,  and  the 
cause  of  the  Reformation  was  greatly  strengthened. 
Bidding  an  affecting  adieu  to  his  friends  there,  on  the 
28th  of  December  he  set  out  for  home,  accompanied 
by  his  daughter  Eliza  Ann,  who  had  been  spending 
some  time  with  her  sister  in  Tennessee,  Mrs.  Ewing. 
Passing  through  Kentucky  as  rapidly  as  the  state  of 
the  roads  and  weather  would  permit,  he  addressed 
large  audiences  at  his  different  appointments  on  the 
way  to  Maysville,  and  was  much  pleased  with  the 
general  prospects  of  the  cause,  finding  that  the  feelings 
of  the  great  mass  of  the  non-professing  community 
were  on  the  side  of  the  Reformers  on  account  of  the 
injustice  and  illiberality  which  had  characterized  the 
proceedings  of  their  opponents.  On  Wednesday,  the 
26th  of  January,  he  crossed  the  Ohio  river  through  the 
floating  ice,  and  passing  through  Ohio,  arrived  at  home 
on  the  evening  of  the  3d  of  February.  **  Thus,"  adds 
he  in  his  journal,  *'  under  the  kind  and  indulgent  care 
of  our  heavenly  Father,  we  finished  a  tour  of  fourteen 
hundred  miles  by  land  in  one  hundred  days,  without  a 
single  accident  worthy  of  a  name.  .  .  .  We  found  the 
same  kind  care  and  merciful  providence  had  been 
extended  over  our  family  which  had  accompanied  us 
by  day  and  night,  through  all  the  dangers  and  toils  of 
a  winter  journey  through  a  great  variety  of  country  and 
circumstances." 


r 


CHAPTER  X. 

Mormonism— Its   exposure— Co-operation — ETangelisIs— lofidelity— Work 
of  the  Holy  Spirit — Divisions— Meeting-houses — Worship — Slavery. 

TOWARD  the  close  of  this  year  (1830)  the  de- 
lusion of  Mormonism  began  its  course  in  Northern 
Ohio.  Chief  amongst  its  promoters  appeared  Sydney 
Rigdon,  who  was  believed,  upon  good  evidence,  to  have 
been  also  its  originator.  Captivating  as  a  public  speaker 
by  his  fluency  and  his  exuberant  fancy,  he  had  de- 
pended upon  these  superficial  endowments  for  populari^ 
and  success.  In  private  he  had  been  found  petulant, 
unreliable  and  ungovernable  in  his  passions,  and  his 
wayward  temper,  his  extravagant  stones  and  his  habit 
of  self-assertion  had  prevented  him  from  attaining  influ- 
ence as  a  religious  teacher  among  the  disciples.  He 
was  ambitious  of  distinction,  without  the  energy  and  in- 
dustry necessary  to  secure  it,  and  jealous  of  the  repu- 
tation of  others,  without  the  ability  to  compete  with  them. 
Floating  upon  the  tide  of  popular  excitement,  he  was 
disposed  to  catch  at  anything  which,  without  demanding 
labor,  might  serve  for  his  advancement,  and  was  natu- 
rally led  to  seek  in  deception  the  success  which  he  found 
denied  to  indolence. 

It  appears  that,  while  living  in  Pittsburg,  he  was  con- 
nected with  one  of  the  printing-offices,  and  obtained 
access  to  the  manuscript  of  a  romance  written  by  a 
former  Presbyterian  preacher — a  Solomon  Spaulding — 


PRECONCERTED  IMPOSTURE. 


345 


who,  adopting  the  style  of  the  Bible  history,  had,  for 
his  amusement,  given  a  fanciful  account  of  the  nations 
inhabiting  Canaan  before  the  time  of  Joshua,  and  de- 
scribed, with  great  minuteness,  their  modes  of  life, 
wars,  migrations,  etc.  He  attributed  also  in  it  the 
settling  of  North  America  to  the  ten  lost  tribes,  and, 
giving  to  his  work  the  title  of  *'  Lost  Manuscript  Found," 
was  wont  to  read  portions  of  it  frequently  to  his  friends. 
Having  copied  or  obtained  possession  of  this  manu- 
script, Rigdon  seems  to  have  secretly  occupied  himself 
during  several  years  in  altering  and  arranging  it  to  suit 
his  purposes ;  and  discovering,  at  Palmyra,  New  York,  as 
early  as  1827,  a  suitable  coadjutor  in  the  person  of  Joseph 
Smith,  a  pretended  fortune-teller  and  discoverer  of  hidden 
treasure,  noted  for  his  idleness  and  love  of  everything 
marvelous  and  mysterious,  he  arranged  with  him  the  plan 
of  future  operations.  Accordingly,  in  1830,  it  was  duly 
announced  that  Smith  had  by  an  express  revelation  dis- 
interred certain  golden  plates,  on  which  were  inscribed, 
in  the  "  reformed  Egyptian  character,"  important  di- 
vine communications,  giving  an  account  of  the  ten 
lost  tribes,  the  origin  of  the  North  American  Indians 
and  revelations  designed  to  usher  in  **  the  latter  days." 
These  plates  Smith  professed  to  have  the  power  to 
decipher  and  translate  by  means  of  translucent  pebbles 
which  had  been  provided  for  the  purpose,  and  by  the  aid 
of  poly  graphic  angels ;  and  a  book  in  manuscript  was 
speedily  produced,  called  the  **  Book  of  Mormon,"  an 
edition  of  which  was  at  once  printed  at  the  expense  of 
a  Martin  Harris,  who  was  so  credulous  as  to  believe  in 
Smith's  pretensions,  and  who  alone,  of  those  concerned, 
was  able  to  defray  the  expense  of  publication. 

Meanwhile,  Rigdon  had  been  for  some  time  diligently 
engaged  in  endeavoring,  by  obscure  hints  and  glowing 


34^         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

millennial  theorieSi  to  excite  the  imaginations  of  his 
hearers,  and  in  seeking  by  fanciful  interpretations  of 
Scripture  to  prepare  the  minds  of  the  churches  of  North- 
ern Ohio  for  something  extraordinary  in  the  near  future. 
He  sought  especially  in  private  to  convince  certain  influ- 
ential persons  that,  along  with  the  primitive  gospel, 
supernatural  giAs  and  miracles  ought  to  be  restored, 
and  that,  as  at  the  beginning,  all  things  should  be  held 
in  common.  From  his  want  of  personal  influence, 
however,  he  failed  in  disseminating  his  views,  except  to 
a  very  limited  extent.  In  Mentor,  where  he  resided, 
he  was  quite  unsuccessful,  but  was  more  fortunate  \a 
Kirtland,  the  adjoining  town,  where  a  flourishing  church 
became  much  disturbed  and  unsettled  by  his  plausible 
theories  and  brilliant  declamations. 

Immediately  upon  the  publication  of  the  *'  Book  of 
Mormon,"  Smith  organized  his  dupes  and  abettors  at 
Palmyra  into  the  "  Church  of  Latter-Day  Saints,"  and 
sent  forth  his  "  apostles"  to  convert  the  people.  Two  of 
these,  Cowdery  and  Pratt,  soon  made  their  appearance 
in  Mentor,  and  were  received  as  old  acquaintances  by 
Rigdon,  who  at  once  publicly  endorsed  their  claims, 
and,  with  several  others,  was  immersed  into  the  new 
faith,  which  he  immediately  endeavored  to  propagate  at 
Palmyra.  The  people  there,  however,  knowing  too 
well  the  character  of  Smith  to  believe  that  he  could  be 
charged  with  a  heavenly  message,  treated  the  whole 
aff'air  with  contempt  and  ridicule.  It  became  necessary, 
therefore,  to  change  the  basis  of  operations  to  some  re- 
gion where  Smith  was  unknown,  and  the  point  selected 
was  Kirtland,  where  the  minds  of  the  people  had 
already  become  to  some  extent  prepared  by  Rigdon, 
and  where  about  one-half  of  the  members  of  the  church 
were  soon  led  away  into  the  delusion  and  tilled  with  the 


FORTUNES   OF  MORMONISM.  347 

wildest  fanaticism.  Mormon  "  elders"  and  "  apostles'* 
were  speedily  sent  forth,  who  traversed  Northern  Ohio 
and  gained  many  proselytes  among  the  ignorant  and 
superstitious,  and  some  even  among  persons  of  intelli- 
gence, who  had  been  filled  with  vague  expectations  of 
a  speedy  millennium. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  relate  particularly  the  progress 
of  this  gross  delusion  or  the  history  of  its  leaders,  who, 
after  erecting  a  temple  and  establishing  a  bank  at  Kirt- 
land,  found  it  necessary  to  emigrate  to  Independence, 
Missouri,  from  whence,  largely  increased  in  numbers, 
they  were  soon  driven  to  Illinois,  where  they  erected 
another  temple  and  built  the  city  of  Nauvoo.  Nor  is  it 
necessary  to  detail  their  introduction  of  polygamy,  their 
establishment  of  a  grand  and  successful  system  of  mis- 
sions throughout  the  world,  their  fortunes  in  Illinois, 
where  open  war  with  the  citizens  was  prevented  only 
by  the  voluntary  surrender  of  Smith  and  others  to  the 
civil  authorities  at  the  instance  of  the  governor ;  or  the 
subsequent  death  of  Smith  at  the  hands  of  a  mob  in  the 
prison  to  which  he  had  been  committed  for  safe-keep- 
ing. Suffice  it  to  say,  that  upon  his  death  Rigdon  and 
Brigham  Young  disputed  the  right  to  the  succession, 
and  Young  prevailing,  Rigdon  was  expelled  from  the 
community  and  retired  into  the  interior  of  New  York, 
where  he  has  since  lived  in  obscurity.  Meanwhile, 
under  the  guidance  of  their  new  and  far  more  compe- 
tent leader,  the  Mormons  sought  an  almost  inaccessible 
region  amidst  the  mountains  of  Utah,  beyond  the  boun- 
daries of  civilization,  where,  by  incredibfe  industry  and 
the  marvelous  power  of  communism  in  promoting  ma- 
terial interests,  they  have  created,  as  if  by  magic,  in 
the  midst  of  an  arid  waste  sown  with  salt,  a  magnifi- 
cent city,  through  whose  streets  streams  of  pure  water 


348         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

conveyed  from  the  mountains  impart  freshness  and  ver- 
dure to  rows  of  beautiful  shade-trees,  and  irrigate  ex- 
tensive orchards  and  fruitful  gardens,  and  where  on 
every  side  are  seen  commodious  residences  and  vast 
public  edifices  reared  by  the  hands  of  skillful  artisans 
decoyed  from  the  Old  World  by  the  wiles  of  no  less 
skillful  emissaries.  Here  is  presented  the  strange  spec- 
tacle of  a  social,  political  and  religious  absolutism  in 
the  midst  of  a  free  republic,  and  of  an  open,  legalized 
licentiousness  in  the  bosom  of  a  Christian  nation,  which, 
extending  itself  around  this  corrupt  community,  grad- 
ually encircles  it  as  a  rapidly-growing  tree  encloses 
with  its  young  wood  a  cureless  canker  in  its  heart. 

From  the  first  moment  of  its  appearance,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell endeavored  to  stay  the  progress  of  this  impost- 
ure and  to  expose  the  villainy  of  those  concerned  in  it. 
Having  obtained  a  copy  of  the  "  Book  of  Mormon," 
he  published  both  in  the  Harbinger  and  in  a  separate 
tract  of  twelve  pages  a  brief  analysis  of  its  contents 
and  character,  laying  bare  its  flagrant  falsehoods  and 
its  contemptible  absurdities.  The  timely  appearance 
of  this  tract,  the  active  opposition  of  the  intelligent 
preachers  on  the  Reserve,  and  a  visit  which  Mr.  Camp- 
bell paid  in  June  to  Northern  Ohio,  where  he  spent 
twenty-two  days,  delivered  eighteen  discourses  and 
baptized  twenty-seven  persons,  greatly  contributed  to 
expose  this  shameless  imposition  soon  after  its  first  ap- 
pearance, and  to  put  a  stop  to  its  progress  in  the  re- 
forming churches,  among  whom,  indeed,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  one  at  Kirtland,  it  was  far  less  successful 
than  with  the  Methodists  and  other  popular  denomina- 
tions, with  whose  views  of  special  spiritual  operations 
and  communications  it  possessed  a  greater  afSnity. 

The  schismatic  and  partisan  spirit  which  in  Kentucky 


FALSE  ACCUSATIONS. 


349 


and  elsewhere  had  induced  the  Baptists  to  exclude  the 
Reformers  from  their  communion,  was  still  steadily 
extending  itself  through  the  denomination.  In  Eastern 
Virginia,  a  conference  of  eight  churches  belonging  to 
the  Dover  Association  had  been  called  in  December, 
1830,  at  which  a  report  of  a  committee  of  nine  was 
adopted,  setting  forth  the  alleged  errors  of  *'  Campbell- 
ism,"  and  recommending  a  declaration  of  non-fellow- 
ship with  all  who  should  persist  in  them.  As  both  R. 
B.  Semple  and  A.  Broaddus  were  on  the  committee,  it 
is  to  be  presumed  that  this  report  presents  as  clear  and 
intelligible  a  statement  of  the  supposed  differences  be- 
tween Mr.  Campbell's  views  and  those  of  the  Baptists 
as  could  be  given,  and  it  is  interesting  as  showing  how 
strangely  party-spirit  can  blind  the  eyes  and  warp  the 
judgment  of  good  men,  and  lead  them  to  misconceive 
and  misrepresent  the  plainest  matters.  "In  -princi^ 
^/^5,"  the  report  says,  ''the  errors  alluded  to  maybe 
classed  under  four  heads — viz.,  the  denial  of  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  salvation  of  man — the 
substitution  of  reformation  for  repentance — the  substitu- 
tion of  baptism  for  conversion,  regeneration  or  the  new 
birth — and  the  Pelagian  doctrine  of  the  sufficiency  of 
man's  natural  powers  to  effect  his  own  salvation." 

"  This,"  said  Mr.  Campbell,  in  his  notice  of  the  report, 
"  is  the  bill  of  indictment^  to  every  item  of  which  we  plead 
not  guilty,  .  .  .  The  four  obnoxious  '  principles,' "  he  after- 
ward remarks,  "  are  reducible  to  two.  The  whole  matter  in 
brief  is  the  denial  of  their  mystic  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  immersion  for  the  remission  of  sins.  .  .  .  That 
God  has  ''his  own  time*  for  converting  every  person  is  a 
favorite  point  with  many.  .  .  .  And  because  we  differ  from 
them  in  this  one  opinion,  they  have,  if  we  do  not  repent  of 
it,  assigned  us  our  portion  with  infidels  and  hypocrites.  I 
say  one  opinion,  for  none  of  the  other  charges  will  at  all,  in 

so 


35°         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

any  conceivable  latitude  of  interpretation,  apply  to  u 
do  not  substitute  reformation  for  repentance,  exce 
mean  the  term  and  not  the  thing.  But  we  prefer  t 
'  reformation '  to  tlieir  distinction  between  'legal  an 
gelical  repentance.'  Neither  do  we  substitute  bapl 
conversion.  And  as  for  the  Pelagian  notion  of  '  man 
ral  powers  to  effect  his  own  salvation,'  it  is  a  chimera 
own  heads.     We  never  said  nor  thought  such  a  thing 

As  Mr.  Campbell  had  the  highest  respect  for  ] 
Semple  and  Broaddus,  and  could  make  all  due 
ance  for  their  prejudices,  he  did  not  entertain  or  \ 
the  least  unkindness  on  account  of  their  misrepre 
him  as  above  and  thus  holding  him  up  to  public 
On  the  contrary,  he  said : 

"  I  sympathize  with  j-ou,  believing  you  to  be  the  m 
orable  of  my  opponents,  and  to  be  conscientious  as  fa 
men  can  be  who  appeal  to  proscriptive  decrees.  I  ki 
appear  to  fear  that  vital  religion  is  endangered  by  ou 
sentations  of  the  ancient  gospel.  We  know  that  the 
is  the  fact.  Our  greatest  objection  to  your  philosophy 
it  substitutes  an  imaginary  work  of  grace  upon  the  1 
that  love  and  peace  and  joy  and  purity  which  a  clear 
tion  of,  and  an  unfeigned  submission  to,  the  ancieni 
can  alone  produce  and  maintain. 

"We  plead  for  faith,  repentance,  reformation,  a  ne 
and  universalobediencc ;  and  ascribe  to  grace  and  tl 
of  Jesus,  to  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Spirit,  everythin 
the  Scriptures  teach,  in  their  own  words  and  sentence 
fullest  import  and  meaning  of  them,  but  each  in  it! 
place." 

When  the  report  above  referred  to  was  subm 
the  church  at  Bruington,  to  which  Bishop  Semp 
istered,  Dr.  Duval,  in  the  presence  of  an  un 
large  assembly  convened  upon  the  occasion,  e: 
so  forcibly  and  eloquently  the  injustice  done  1 


CO-OPERATION  OF  CHURCHES. 


351 


Mr.  Campbell  and  his  friends,  that  although  Messrs- 
Todd,  Semple,  Broaddus  and  others  used  all  their  talents 
and  authority  to  induce  the  church  to  receive  it  and  enter 
its  *'  resolutions '' upon  their  church  book,  they  were  un- 
able to  prevail.  Bishop  Semple  then  insisted  that  those 
who  would  not  vote  with  him  should  take  letters  of  dis- 
mission and  join  some  other  church.  This  the  majority 
declined  to  do.  He  then  proposed  a  postponement,  and 
finally  a  modification  of  the  resolutions,  but  the  meeting 
closed  without  any  final  action.  Next  day  Bishop 
Semple  and  A.  Broaddus  preached,  after  which  Re- 
formers and  anti-Reformers  broke  the  loaf  together, 
when  the  good  old  bishop's  heart  relentefi ;  he  shed 
many  tears  and  they  had  quite  "  a  fine  time."  Such 
were  the  conflicts  engendered  in  the  hearts  of  many  be- 
tween the  expansive  Christian  love  which  the  gospel 
itself  inspired  and  the  narrow  aims  and  policies  of  the 
spirit  of  sectarianism — ^the  former  prompting  to  union 
with  all  who  trusted  in  Christ,  the  latter  inducing  those 
possessed  by  it  to  recoil  from  every  one  who  questioned 
the  authority  of  those  human  opinions  and  theories 
which  were  the  boast  and  the  reliance  of  orthodoxy. 

While  these  matters  were  in  progress,  Mr.  Campbell 
was  discussing  in  the  "  Harbinger"  various  subjects  of 
interest  having  an  immediate  relation  to  the  existing 
state  of  aflFairs.  Among  these  the  co-operation  of 
churches  in  sustaining  preachers  of  the  gospel  occupied 
much  attention.  As  the  few  overtasked  preachers 
already  engaged  were  poorly  supported  and  wholly  un- 
able to  supply  the  demands  of  the  cause,  Mr.  Campbell 
strongly  urged  that  the  churches  should  be  arranged  in 
districts,  as  he  endeavored  to  show  was  the  case  in 
primitive  times,  in  order  that,  by  mutual  aid,  they  might 
sustain  a  sufiicient  number  of  evangelists  in  the  field.    It 


35^ 


MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 


was  some  time,  however,  before  such  arrangements 
could  be  properly  carried  out,  as  but  few  preachers 
could  be  obtained  who  were  able  to  devote  themselves 
wholly  to  the  work,  and  vague'  notions  of  the  "  freeness" 
of  the  gospel,  as  well  as  a  misapplication  of  his  remarks 
on  '*  hirelings"  in  the  *'  Christian  Baptist,"  and  of  his 
example  in  preaching  without  charge,  still  repressed 
the  exercise  of  the  liberality  needed  to  sustain  an 
effective  ministry.  The  subject  being  brought  to  the 
attention  of  the  annual  meeting  at  New  Lisbon,  in 
August,  183 1,  a  plan  of  co-operation  by  counties  was 
devised  and  suggested  to  the  churches,  care  being  taken 
to  distinguish  it  as  a  matter  of  mere  expediency,  "  to  be 
adopted,  continued  or  discontinued,  as  experience  might 
dictate."  Mr.  Campbell,  indeed,  in  his  recommendations 
to  the  churches,  never  presumed  in  the  slightest  degree 
upon  his  personal  influence  or  authority.  He  was  well 
aware  of  the  existence  among  the  churches  of  a  spirit  of 
independency  and  a  jealous  regard  for  their  liberties, 
which  his  own  writings  had  created,  and  which  would 
not  brook  even  the  appearance  of  dictation ;  and  while 
he  sought  on  various  occasions  to  guard  against  an  ex- 
treme in  this  direction,  he  rejoiced  to  see  the  churches 
so  much  on  their  guard  against  that  oppressive  religious 
thraldom  from  which  thev  had  been  released,  and  which 
he  never  betrayed  the  slightest  desire  to  re-establish. 

In  the  absence  of  specific  directions  in  Scripture  re- 
specting the  appointment  and  regulation  of  evangelists 
or  preachers  of  the  gospel,  Mr.  Campbell  regarded 
these  matters  as  left  to  the  dictates  of  human  prudence. 
Recognizing  the  Church  as  the  authorized  tribunal  in 
such  cases,  he  thought  no  one  justified  in  assuming  the 
office  of  a  public  laborer  without  the  sanction  of  a  con- 
gregation,   and    esteemed    it    proper,   where    several 


DEFENCE   OF  THE   GOSPEL. 


353 


churches  existed  in  the  district,  that  these  should,  as 
far  as  practicable,  participate  in  the  selection,  recom- 
mendation and  ordination  of  preachers  whose  field  of 
labor  necessarily  included  many  churches,  and  whose 
conduct  and  standing  might  seriously  affect  the  interests 
of  the  cause  at  large.  Each  evangelist,  also,  was  re- 
quired to  have  his  membership  in  some  particular  con- 
gregation, to  which  he  was  amenable  for  the  faithful 
performance  of  his  duties,  official  or  unofficial. 

During  this  period  Mr.  Campbell  continued  his  able 
defences  of  the  gospel  against  the  cavils  of  infidelity,  in 
a  series  of  letters  to  Humphrey  Marshall,  a  bold  and 
self-sufficient  infidel  of  Kentucky,  who  had  published 
some  animadversions  on  the  debate  with  Owen,  and 
whose  imaginary  *'  Bible  Contradictions"  Mr.  Campbell 
disposed  of  with  great  skill  and  point.  He  also  de- 
fended with  great  power  the  divine  mission  of  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  against  the  objections  of  L.  H.  Cohen,  a  rabbi 
of  the  synagogue  in  Richmond,  Virginia.* 

^  This  Mr.  Cohen  was  a  man  of  considerable  ability,  very  zealous  for  the 
Jews*  religion,  and  supposed  to  be  a  descendant  of  Aaron,  his  father  having 
acted  as  high-priest  and  being  succeeded  in  this  office  by  his  son.  In  youth 
he  had  conceived  a  sudden  and  violent  passion  for  the  granddaughter  of  Sir 
Charles  Burdette,  of  London,  an  orphan,  whom  he  met  accidentally  in  Phila- 
delphia.  Her  father,  Malcolm  Campbell,  a  Scotchman,  had  been  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  while  her  mother  was  an  Episcopalian.  Mr. 
Cohen*s  father,  hearing  of  the  engagement,  was  much  distressed,  and  exacted 
from  his  son,  in  presence  of  the  elders,  a  binding  oath  that  he  would  marry 
none  but  a  Jewess.  Perceiving  the  difficulties  which  surrounded  her  affianced 
husband.  Miss  Campbell  was  induced  to  become  a  proselyte  to  Judaism,  but 
after  her  marriage  experienced  great  depression  of  mind  in  consequence, 
and  finally  returned  to  the  Christian  profession,  on  account  of  which  her  hus- 
band separated  from  her.  She  was  a  lady  of  literary  tastes,  and  published  a 
number  of  fugitive  pieces  of  poetry  in  a  little  volume,  which  furnished  also  a 
touching  history  of  her  life  and  trials,  and  of  the  religious  transports  and 
death  of  her  son,  Henry  Luria,  who,  as  well  as  several  others  of  her  children, 
embraced  the  faith  of  Christ  Her  sad  narrative  affords  a  striking  illustra- 
tion of  the  unhappy  effects  resulting  from  religious  disagreements,  especially 


VOL.  II. — X 


30  • 


354 


MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 


As  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  salvation  of 
man  continued  to  be  one  of  the  chief  matters  of  con- 
troversy with  the  Baptists,  he,  about  this  time,  wrote 
his  *'  Dialogue  on  the  Holy  Spirit,"  in  which  he  pro- 
posed to  develop  the  subject  with  special  reference  to 
the  systems  of  the  sects.  In  this  he  was  led  to  employ 
abstractions  and  philosophical  distinctions  in  relation  to 

in  the  marriage  relation.  Among  other  matters,  the  volume  contains  two 
letters,  addressed  to  her  by  Mr.  Campbell,  from  one  of  which  the  following 
is  an  extract : 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Cohen  :  Your  letters  to  Mrs.  Campbell  and  myself  were 
duly  received.  I  am  glad  to  learn  that  you  are  about  to  publish  a  narrative 
of  your  son's  conversion  from  Judaism  to  Christianity.  It  will  be  no  doubt 
a  very  interesting  work.  It  will  afford  me  pleasure  to  notice  and  commend 
it  in  the  *  Harbinger.*  I  have  heard  my  wife  often  speak  with  much  pleasure 
of  her  having  met  you  on  the  Ohio  river  and  forming  a  very  agreeable  and 
interesting  acquaintance  with  you,  such  as  I  once  enjoyed  in  forming  the 
acquaintance  of  your  husband  in  Richmond.  .  .  . 

"  Unfortunately,  sects  and  schisms,  and  consequently  controversies,  strifes 
and  alienations,  have,  more  or  less,  through  all  Christendom,  paralyzed  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  and  greatly  prevented  the  spread  and  power  of  the 
gospel  of  the  great  Messiah.  As  did  the  Jews,  so  do  the  Gentiles,  more  or 
less,  render  ineffectual  the  word  and  teachings  of  the  Holy  Spirit  by  their 
traditions.  Christ's  gospel  is  no  theory,  no  philosophy,  no  mere  dogmata,  no 
opinionisms.  It  is  a  glorious  and  yet  a  simple  development  of  the  most  sig- 
nificant, splendid  and  grace-abounding  facts,  precepts  and  promises  that  ever 
were  or  ever  can  be  submitted  to  the  human  understanding,  the  conscience 
and  the  affections  of  men.  Paul,  the  great  apostle  to  the  Gentiles,  as  did 
Peter,  the  great  apostle  to  the  Jews,  on  the  first  Pentecost  after  Christ*s 
ascension  and  glorification  as  Lord  of  all,  Jew,  Gentile  and  Samaritan,  pre- 
sented the  facts  of  Christ's  death  as  the  only  sin-offering;  together  with  his 
burial,  resurrection,  ascension  and  coronation  as  Lord  of  the  universe,  as 
the  foundation  alone  sufficient  and  all-sufficient  for  the  salvation  of  Jew  and 
Greek  and  Samaritan ;  and  whosoever  desires  pardon,  peace  and  eternal  life 
may  indeed  enjoy  all  the  blessings  which  the  largest  heart  and  the  most  ar- 
dent soul  in  the  world  can  enjoy  or  entertain.  But  upon  these  glorious  facts 
and  realities  I  need  not  enlarge.  You  doubtless  appreciate  them.  It  is  a 
personal,  living  faith  in  a  Divine  Redeemer ;  and  it  is  this  alone  which  can 
meet  the  essential  wants  and  cravings  of  enlightened  reason.  Mrs.  Campbell 
unites  with  me  in  kindest  regards  to  you.    In  all  benevolence, 

"  Yours  most  respectfully, 

"Alexander  Campbeu.** 


THE    WORD-ALONE   THEORY. 


355 


**  moral  and  physical  power," etc.,  with  a  view,  as  he  said, 
to  make  himself  understood,  but  which  only  opened  the 
way  to  new  misunderstandings.  As  these  distinctions 
were  unknown  to  Scripture,  and  some  of  the  conclusions 
built  upon  them  seemed  peculiarly  liable  to  misconcep- 
tion, Thomas  Campbell  quite  disapproved  of  the  Dia- 
logue as  a  full  and  just  presentation  of  the  subject,  and 
it  was  from  respect  to  his  judgment  that  Mr.  Campbell 
subsequently  omitted  it  from  a  volume  labeled  **  Chris- 
tianity Restored,"  in  the  first  edition  of  which  it  had 
been  inserted,  along  with  some  of  the  Extras  of  the 
•«  Harbinger."  In  this  Dialogue  he  had,  indeed,  applied 
his  reasonings  specially  to  the  case  of  conversion,  and 
had  clearly  stated  in  it  that  while  the  Holy  Spirit  operated 
upon  sinners  by  the  demonstrations  and  evidences  of 
the  gospel,  he  took  up  his  abode  in  the  saints.  *.'  The 
Spirit  of  God,"  said  he,  **  the  author  of  these  proofs, 
by  them  opens  men's  minds  to  hear,  to  obey  the  gospel. 
Those  who  obey  the  gospel  are  in  that  gospel  declared 
to  be  sons  of  God,  and  as  such  receive  the  Holy  Spirit, 
promised  through  faith."  The  principles  from  which 
he  reasoned  had,  however,  a  much  more  extensive  ap- 
plication than  to  the  case  of  conversion,  and,  like  all 
human  philosophy  in  religious  matters,  were  calculated 
to  create  difficulties  rather  than  to  remove  them.  Hence, 
while  his  opponents  raised  a  clamor  against  him  as  de- 
nying **  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit,"  some  of 
those  who  were  professed  advocates  of  the  Reformation 
were  led  to  construct  a  word-alone  theory  which  virtu- 
ally dispensed  with  the  great  promise  of  the  gospel — 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  believers.  These  persons 
were  found  chiefly  among  those  who  had  been  pre- 
viously skeptical,  and  who  were  habitually  disposed  to 
rely  upon  reason  rather  than  to  walk  by  faith ;  and  their 


35t>         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

crude  and  erroneous  doctrines  were  well  calculated  to 
bring  a  reproach  upon  the  Reformation.  They  were 
disposed  to  resolve  religion  entirely  into  a  system  of 
moral  motivity ;  to  disbelieve  the  actual  indwelling  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  in  believers ;  to  deny  special  pro\-i- 
dences  and  guidings,  and,  by  consequence,  the  efficacy 
of  prayer.  Taking  Locke's  philosophy  as  the  basis 
of  their  system,  and  carrying  his  "  Essay  on  the  Human 
Understanding"  along  with  the  Bible  in  their  saddle- 
bags, they  denied  even  to  its  Creator  any  access  to  the 
human  soul  except  by  "words  and  arguments,"  while 
they  conceded  to  the  Author  of  evil  a  direct  approach, 
and  had  more  to  say  in  their  discourses  about  "  the  laws 
of  human  nature  "  than  about  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

It  was  to  check  the  effects  of  such  speculations, 
wholly  inconsistent  with  the  reformatory  principles,  but 
well  suited  to  a  superficial  and  unspiritual  religionism, 
that  Walter  Scott  at  this  period  wrote  and  published 
his  "  Discourse  on  the  Holy  Spirit."  In  this  he  en- 
deavored to  show  that  "  Christianity  as  developed  in 
the  Sacred  Oracles  is  sustained  by  three  divine  missions 
— the  mission  of  the  Lord  yesus,  the  mission  of  the 
apostles  and  the  mission  of  the  Hoiy  Spirit;^  and  fur- 
thermore that  as  the  personal  mission  of  Christ  was  to 
the  yews,  and  that  of  the  apostles  to  the  world,  that  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  was  to  the  Church.  Dwelling  upon 
these  points,  he  showed  that  in  each  case,  as  propriety 
required,  the  mission  terminated  upon  its  proper  object ; 
Christ  confining  his  ministry  to  "  the  lost  sheep  of  the 
house  of  Israel,"  the  apostles  going  out  into  the  world 
to  disciple  the  nations,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  sent  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  remaining  in  the  Church  or  body  of 
Christ,  dwelling  in  all  its  members,  and  acting  through 
them  in  comforting  the  saints  and  convincing  the  world 


DISCOURSE   ON  THE  HOLT  SPIRIT. 


357 


of  sin,  righteousness  and  judgment.  Exposing  the 
incorrectness  of  the  popular  notion  that  the  Spirit  was 
sent  to  the  worlds  as  being  in  direct  contravention  of 
Christ's  declaration  that  the  world  could  not  receive 
hifHy  he  insisted  upon  the  absolute  need  of  the  indwell- 
ing of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  every  believer  in  order  to  real 
and  permanent  union  with  Christ,  and  to  the  production 
of  those  fruits  through  which  Christ  was  glorified  among 
men.  Finally,  he  showed  that  while  the  personal  mis- 
sion of  Christ  to  the  Jews  and  that  of  the  apostles  to 
the  world  were  limited  in  duration,  the  mission  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  the  Church  was  -permanent  in  its  nature, 
since  the  Comforter  was  to  abide  with  it  for  ever. 
**  There  is  no  member  of  the  body  of  Christ,"  said  he, 
**in  whom  the  Holy  Spirit  dwelleth  not;  for  it  will 
hold  as  good  at  the  end  of  the  world  and  in  eternity  as 
it  does  now,  and  it  holds  as  good  now  as  it  did  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost  and  afterward — that  '  if  any  man  have 
not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his.' " 

This  discourse,  being  widely  circulated  in  pamphlet 
form,  had  a  powerful  effect  in  imparting  clearness  and 
definiteness  to  the  views  of  the  Reformers  upon  this 
important  subject.  It  was  the  first  time  it  had  been 
publicly  brought  forward  in  so  particular  a  manner,  and 
the  clear  scriptural  evidence  presented  in  the  discourse 
was  generally  received  as  decisive  of  the  questions  in- 
volved. This  result  was  much  aided  by  Mr.  Camp- 
bell's" warm  commendation  of  the  sentiments  which  it 
contained. 

"  Brother  Walter  Scott,"  said  he—"  who  in  the  fall  of  1827, 
arranged  the  several  items  of  faith,  repentance,  baptism,  re- 
mission of  sins,  the  Holy  Spirit  and  eternal  life,  restored 
tffem  in  this  order  to  the  Church  under  the  title  of  Ancient 
Gospel,  and  successfully  preached  it  for  the  conversion  of  the 


35^        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

world — has  written  a  discourse  on  the  fifth  point  (viz.,  the 
Holy  Spirit),  which  presents  the  subject  in  such  an  attitude 
as  cannot  fail  to  make  all  who  read  it  understand  the  views 
entertained  by  us,  and,  as  we  think,  taught  by  the  apostles  in 
their  writings.  We  can  recommend  to  all  the  disciples  this 
discourse  as  most  worthy  of  a  place  in  their  families,  because 
it  perspicuously,  forcibly  and  with  a  brevity  favorable  to  an 
easy  apprehension  of  its  meaning,  presents  the  subject  to  the 
mind  of  the  reader.  Our  opponents,  too,  who  are  continu- 
ally misrepresenting,  and  many  of  them  no  doubt  misconceiv- 
ing, our  views  on  this  subject,  if  they  would  be  advised  by  us, 
we  would  request  to  furnish  themselves  with  a  copy,  that 
they  may  be  better  informed  on  this  topic,  and,  if  they  should 
still  be  conscientiously  opposed,  that  they  may  oppose  what 
we  teach,  and  not  a  phantom  of  their  own  creation." 

It  was  because  Mr.  Campbell  opposed  the  popular 
notions  of  special  illuminations  and  mystic  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  heart,  that  he  became  ob- 
noxious to  the  charge  of  undervaluing  the  exercises  of 
the  heart.  In  a  very  courteous  review,  published  this 
year,  of  the  Extra  on  remission,  Andrew  Broaddus 
remarked : 

"  The  great  error  which  lies  at  the  bottom  of  Mr.  Camp- 
bell's theory,  of  the  actual  forgiveness  of  sins  in  baptism, 
appears  to  consist  in  an  undervaluing  of  the  exercises  of 
the  hearty  and  attaching  to  external  conduct  or  action  the 
importance  which  really  belongs  to  those  exercises,*^ 

*'  I  doubt  not,"  said  Mr.  Campbell,  in  reply,  "  that  Mr. 
Broaddus  thinks  this  is  all  correct,  and  yet  a  more  unjust 
representation  of  my  views  was  never  penned.  I  cannot 
blame  Mr.  Broaddus  for  censuring  in  strong  terms  a  view  of 
Christianity  against  which  such  a  charge  could  fairly  lie. 
I  would  join  with  him  and  denounce  such  a  representation 
of  Christianity  as  leaves  the  heart  of  man  not  only  out  of* 
view,  but  in  the  background.  How  often  have  we  said  that 
the  greatest  objection  we  have  against  the  whole  system  we 


PHILOSOPHT  OF  RELIGION, 


359 


oppose  is  because  of  its  impotency  on  the  heart?  But  Mr. 
Broaddus  thinks  that  his  system  is  the  only  one  which  takes 
the  heart  of  man  into  good  keeping,  and  consequently  he 
that  dissents  from  him  leaves  the  heart  out  of  view." 

"  Once  for  all,"  said  he  again,  "  let  it  be  distinctly  noted 
that  we  appreciate  nothing  in  religion  which  tends  not  directly 
and  immediately,  proximately  and  remotely,  to  the  purifica-^ 
tion  and  perfection  of  the  heart.  Paul  acts  the  philosopher 
fully  once,  and  if  we  recollect  but  once,  in  all  his  writings 
upon  this  subject.  It  is  in  his  first  Epistle  to  Timothy :  '  Now 
the  end  of  the  commandment,  or  gospel,  is  love  out  of  a  pure 
heart  and  of  a  good  conscience  and  of  faith  unfeigned.*  .  .  . 
We  proceed  upon  these  as  our  axiomata  in  all  our  writings, 
reasonings,  preachings :  first,  unfeigned  faith  ;  second,  a  good 
conscience  ;  third,  a  pure  heart ;  fourth,  love.  The  testimony 
of  God  apprehended,  produces  unfeigned  or  genuine  faith ; 
faith  obeyed,  produces  a  good  conscience.  This  Peter  de- 
fines to  be  the  use  of  baptism,  the  answer  of  a  good  con- 
science. This  produces  a  pure  heart,  and  then  the  consum- 
mation is  love — love  to  God  and  man." 

Mr.  Campbell  believed  that  as  in  nature  the  position 
of  the  earth  in  reference  to  the  sun  is  changed  in  order 
to  the  production  of  summer  fruits,  so  in  religion  the* 
internal  state  of  the  sinner  in  reference  to  God  is 
changed  through  the  faith  and  obedience  of  the  gospel, 
so  that  the  heavenly  influences  might  produce  their 
proper  effects.  **  Jesus,"  said  he,  '*  gives  us  the  philo- 
sophy of  his  scheme  in  an  address  to  a  sinner  of  that 
time  :  *  Your  sins,'  says  he,  *  are  forgiven  you  ;  go,  and 
sin  no  more.'  He  first  changes  the  sinner's  state,  not 
*  external  but  internal,'  and  then  says,  '  Go^  and  sin 
no  moreJ*  He  frankly  forgave  the  debt.  The  sinner 
loved  him." 

These   remarks  were  elicited  chiefly  by  the  course 
pursued  by  Mr.  Broaddus  in   his  review.      This  was 


r 


360        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

largely  composed  of  disquisitions  upon  "  real"  and 
**  relative"  change,  upon  *«  state,"  "  quality,"  etc.,  and 
was  permeated  throughout  by  that  entire  misconception 
of  Mr.  Campbell's  teaching  already  adverted  to,  as 
neglecting  the  heart  and  having  nothing  in  view  but 
external  and  formal  changes.  Mr.  Campbell  showed 
in  his  reply  that  no  changes  are  more  real  than  such 
as  are  relative,  and  that  the  term  '*  state"  was  as  appli- 
cable to  internal  as  to  external  conditions,  to  the  latter  of 
which  Mr.  Broaddus  erroneously  supposed  Mr.  Camp- 
bell to  confine  it.  In  his  overweening  estimate  of 
religious  '*  experiences,"  and  his  effort  to  represent 
Mr.  Campbell  as  advocating  a  mere  outward  work  or 
ofus  oferatum  in  religion,  Mr.  Broaddus  was  led  to 
speak  of  baptism  as  *'  an  external  or  bodily  act,"  and 
to  controvert  the  view  taken  by  Mr.  Campbell  that 
through  it  the  **  state"  of  the  sinner  was  changed.  In 
reply,  Mr.  C.  expresses  his  surprise  that  the  Baptists 
should  have  so  long  contended  with  Psedobaptists  and 
broken  fellowship  with  them  about  a  matter  which  in 
their  view  was  of  so  little  importance.  Entering  then 
into  the  heart  of  the  subject,  he  thus  ably  exposes  the 
shallowness  of  the  philosophy  opposed  to  him  : 

"I.  There  are  no  acts  of  worship  or  of  religion  ordained 
by  Jesus  Christ  that  are  at  all  to  be  regarded  as  outward  or 
external  bodily  acts.  '  God  is  a  Spirit,  and  they  who  worship 
him  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth.'  Vocal  prayer 
and  praise,  though  they  are  exercises  of  the  larynx,  the 
tongue  and  the  lips ;  the  bending  of  the  knee,  or  the  stand- 
ing erect  or  falling  upon  the  ground ;  the  eating  of  bread, 
the  drinking  of  wine,  or  any  other  exertion  of  one  or  more 
or  all  of  our  organs,  mental  or  corporeal,  are  not  to  be  re- 
garded as  acts  of  religion  except  they  are  exercises  of  the 
understanding  and  the  heart ;  and  no  man  of  any  sense  pleads 
for  these,  as  bodily  acts,  as  of  any  importance  whatever. 


REVISION  OF  NEW  TESTAMENT. 


361 


^^  2.  But  the  spirit  of  man  cannot  think  at  all  without  the 
body  ;  it  cannot  think  if  the  brain  be  not  exercised  ;  it  cannot 
speak  unless  the  tongue  be  moved ;  it  cannot  feel  but  by  the 
nerves ;  it  cannot  move  but  by  the  organs  of  the  body.  How 
unreasonable,  then,  to  separate  or  to  regard  human  action  in 
reference  to  the  particular  organ  which  operates !  Immer- 
sion is  as  spiritual  an  act  when  proceeding  from  faith  in 
God's  promise  as  any  act  in  which  a  person  is  either  active 
or  passive.  Faith  is  as  much  a  bodily  act  as  immer- 
sion. No  man  without  the  exercise  of  his  senses  can  be- 
lieve anything.  '  Faith  comes  by  hearing'^*  says  a  master  in 
Israel." 

Thus  ever,  upon  his  stronger  pinions,  Mr.  Campbell 
rose  above  the  highest  altitude  of  his  ablest  opponents, 
and  from  his  loftier  point  of  observation  was  enabled 
to  take  wider  and  better  views  of  truth  and  duty.  His 
confutation  of  Mr.  Broaddus'  "  Extra  Examined"  was 
throughout  triumphant,  and  became  the  means  of  con- 
vincing many  of  the  truth  of  the  positions  he  advocated. 

In  October  of  the  year  183 1  his  family  was  increased 
by  the  birth  of  a  son,  who  was  named  Alexander.  His 
domestic  happiness  continued  uninterrupted,  and  at  no 
period  were  his  public  labors  more  incessant.  During 
the  year  he  had  been  about  half  the  time  from  home, 
laboring  in  word  and  doctrine,  and  had  immersed  about 
two  hundred  persons.  Everywhere  the  principles  he 
taught  were  undergoing  the  most  active  scrutiny,  and 
gaining  the  confidence  and  the  support  of  unsectarian 
and  intelligent  minds.  His  various  publications  were 
constantly  gaining  a  wider  circulation,  and  his  incessant 
activity  was  still  adding  to  their  number.  A  pocket 
edition  of  the  New  Version  of  the  Testament  was  about 
this  time  projected.  Being  subjected  to  a  careful  revis- 
ion, in  which  he  received  important  aid  from  F.  W. 
Emmons,  who  had  then  taken  up  his  abode  in  Wells- 

31 


362         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

burg,  it  was  subsequently  stereotyped  and  published  in 
a  small  and  portable  form. 

The  intolerance  with  which,  in  many  cases,  the  Re- 
formers were  treated  by  the  Baptists  served  to  illustrate 
more  fully  the  tendencies  and  spirit  of  the  sectarianism 
which  Mr.  Campbell  sought  to  overthrow,  and  tended 
to  justify  more  fully  his  efforts  in  the  estimation  of  the 
people.  It  was  impossible  to  explain  satisfactorily,  on 
Christian  principles,  the  necessity  of  division  where 
there  were  so  many  points  of  agreement,  and  the  un- 
prejudiced were  unable  to  recognize  as  just  reasons 
those  distinctions  which  appeared  so  vast  as  seen  through 
the  magnifying  glass  of  sectarian  bigotry,  but  so  minute 
and  trivial  in  the  eyes  of  Christian  love.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, however,  by  no  means  attached  the  blame  to  the 
Baptists  as  a  people,  but  attributed  the  whole  difficulty 
to  a  few  individuals,  who  were  bent  on  maintaining  the 
supremacy  of  their  own  favorite  theories,  rather  than  the 
freedom  and  the  clemency  which  the  Baptists  were 
wont  to  cherish. 

These  ancient  characteristics,  however,  were  at  times 
still  exhibited  among  them,  even  by  Mr.  Campbell's 
opponents,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  following  instance : 

Toward  the  close  of  this  year  (1831),  Thomas  Camp- 
bell had  set  out  upon  a  visit  to  the  churches  in  Eastern 
Virginia.  Upon  arriving  at  Fredericksburg  on  a  Friday, 
he  was  invited  by  Elder  G.  F.  Adams,  the  pastor  of 
the  Baptist  church  there,  to  preach  on  the  following 
Lord's  day.  Bishop  R.  B.  Semple,  coming  into  town 
on  Saturday,  was  introduced  to  him,  and  next  morning 
had  another  interview  with  him  and  accompanied  him 
to  meeting.  Here  the  bishop  listened  to  his  discourse, 
and  at  its  close  added  a  few  remarks.  In  the  after- 
noon also  he  gave  a  short  exhortation  when  the  Lord's 


yEALOUSIES  AND  DIVISIONS. 


3^3 


Supper  was  administered,"  and  afterward  returned  home, 
bestowing  his  parting  benediction  on  Thomas  Camp- 
bell, who  was  to  preach  again  at  night.  In  the  kind 
and  courteous  recognition  thus  granted  by  Bishop 
Semple  to  Thomas  Campbell  it  is  not  to  be  supposed 
that  he  intended  to  compromise  in  any  degree  his  cher- 
ished religious  sentiments,  or  to  sanction  what  he  still 
honestly  thought  to  be  defects  in  Mr.  Campbell's  teach- 
ing. After  so  much  religious  disputation,  however,  it 
was,  under  the  circumstances,  a  very  pleasing  incident, 
showing  that  the  supposed  differences  were  not  such, 
after  all,  in  the  estimation  of  Bishop  Semple,  as  to  pre- 
clude fraternal  communion.  Providence,  too,  seemed 
to  give  to  this  incident  a  peculiar  significance,  for  in  a 
few  days  Bishop  Semple  was  seized  with  pleurisy, 
which  terminated,  on  Christmas  day,  1831,  his  long 
and  useful  life ;  and  it  hence  so  happened  that  the  last 
discourse  he  ever  heard  was  from  the  lips  of  the  godly 
man  to  whom  the  Reformation  owed  its  origin,  and  that 
it  was  likewise  with  Thomas  Campbell  he  enjoyed  his 
last  communion  upon  earth — an  antepast,  it  is  to  be 
hoped,  of  that  higher  Eucharisiic  feast  where  the 
pious,  redeemed  from  all  their  prejudices  and  errors, 
shall  sit  down  together  with  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob 
in  the  kingdom  of  God. 

The  jealousies  and  misconceptions  created  by  Mr. 
Campbell's  opponents  among  the  Baptists  continued 
nevertheless  to  produce  their  natural  effects,  and  soon 
after  Thomas  Campbell's  arrival  at  Richmond  the  pastor 
of  the  Baptist  church  there,  and  those  with  him,  re- 
quested all  favorable  to  the  Reformation  to  withdraw 
and  become  a  separate  people.  To  this  sixty- eight 
members  finally  assented  and  formed  a  distinct  church, 
which  met  first  in  the  Capitol  on  the  fourth  of  March, 


364         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

1832,  on  which  occasion  Thomas  Campbell  preached  to 
a  large  assemblage  with  great  acceptance.  He  con- 
tinued for  some  time  successfully  his  labors  in  Rich- 
mond, where  he  was  at  length  confined  by  a  serious 
and  protracted  illness,  during  which  he  received  the 
kindest  attentions  from  his  friends  and  the  medical  visits 
of  the  eminent  Dr.  CuUen,  who  conceived  a  warm  at- 
tachment for  his  patient,  and  would  receive  nothing  for 
his  valuable  services.  Separations  between  the  Baptists 
and  the  Reformers  occurred  in' various  other  portions 
of  the  State,  and  these  were  still  farther  extended  by 
the  action  of  the  Dover  Association  in  the  fall,  excluding 
six  of  the  most  prominent  Reform  preachers  in  their 
body,  and  recommending  the  churches  to  separate  all 
**  Reformers"  from  their  communion.  The  preamble 
and  resolutions  adopted  on  this  occasion,  couched  in 
terms  to  which  Andrew  Broaddus  himself  objected,  con- 
tained so  many  incorrect  and  unjust  statements  that  they 
occasioned  no  little  bitterness  of  feeling  between  the 
parties,  and  tended  to  increase  public  sympathy  for  the 
worthy  individuals,  as  well  as  for  the  cause  they  were 
designed  to  discredit.  The  consequence  was  a  general 
division  between  the  Baptists  and  Reformers,  and  a 
rapid  increase  on  the  part  of  the  latter,  who  now  met 
regularly  without  hindrance  to  keep  the  ordinances, 
and  enjoyed  the  labors  of  a  number  of  excellent  and 
devoted  preachers.  A  meeting-house  was  soon  erected 
in  Richmond,  as  well  as  one  in  Bowling  Green,  in  Essex 
and  at  other  points.  These  were  plain,  substantial 
buildings,  conveniently  arranged,  and  without  any  of 
those  expensive  and  unnecessary  ornaments  in  which 
vanity  and  pride  so  often  expend  the  wealth  which 
ought  to  be  devoted  to  charitable  and  religious  uses. 
Such,  indeed,  has  in  general  been  the  character  of  the 


CHURCH  EDIFICES.  305 

meeting-houses  built  by  the  Reformers.  Mr.  Campbell 
himself,  who  was  extremely  simple  in  all  his  tastes  and 
habits,  was  decidedly  opposed  to  everything  which 
savored  of  show  or  ostentation  in  houses,  dress  or 
equipage.  On  the  character  of  church  edifices  he  about 
this  time  made  the  following  remarks  : 

"  It  is  most'  devoutly  to  be  wished  that  all  who  plead  for 
reformation  would  carry  out  their  principles  in  the  plainness, 
convenience  and  cheapness  of  the  buildings  which  they  erect 
for  the  assemblies  of  Christians.  No  greater  satire  could  be 
inscribed  on  marble  against  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  than 
are  many  of  the  houses  called  churches,  wherever  the  people 
have  the  means  of  gratifying  the  spirit  which  is  in  them. 
There  is  no  difference  between  the  Baptists  and  other  sects  in 
this  particular.  Opulent  communities  amongst  them  have 
stately  edifices,  with  lofty  steeples  and  ponderous  bells.  There 
are  some  Baptist  cathedrals  on  which  more  than  forty  thou- 
sand dollars  have  been  expended  for  the  sake  of  showing  that 
the  Baptists  would  be  as  respectable  as  any  other  sect  if  they 
had  it  in  their  power.  The  spirit  of  baptized  and  sprinkled 
Calvinism,  whether  in  the  Presbyterian  or  Congregational 
form,  is  one  and  the  same,  if  a  thousand  arguments  could 
prove  such  a  proposition.  Large,  convenient  and  permanent 
houses  may  be  built  for  generally  half  the  sum  usually  ex- 
pended on  the  same  number  of  square  feet.  The  Quakers 
are  more  exemplary  in  this  respect  than  any  other  sect.  But 
even  their  plan  could  still  be  improved.  Let  there  only  be  a 
regard  to  convenience  and  durability ;  let  all  that  is  merely  to 
gratify  the  lusts  of  the  eye  and  the  pride  of  life  be  left  to  them 
who  seek  to  gain  influence  over  the  children  of  the  flesh  by  re- 
ducing Christianity  to  the  taste  and  fashion  of  this  world,  and 
we  can  build  two,  three  and  sometimes  four  meeting-houses 
for  the  price  of  one  of  the  same  dimensions. 

'•Under  the  present  political  influences  which  govern 
society  it  is  nece'ssary  to  have  synagogues  or  meeting-houses 
large  enough  for  the  accommodation  of  the  disciples  who  can 

31  • 


366        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

meet  in  any  one  place,  and  such  of  the  community  as  may 
desire  to  attend  their  meetings.  But  for  the  sake  of  the  humble 
Founder  of  this  our  religion  and  the  Author  of  our  hope  before 
God,  let  not  the  walls  of  the  house  nor  anything  in  it  reproach 
our  profession." 

Similarly,  he  loved  to  see  the  utmost  simplicity  in  the 
order  and  worship  of  the  house  of  God.  He  delighted 
in  the  public  reading  of  the  Scriptures,  the  plain  and 
earnest  exhortations  of  the  brotherhood,  and  in  solemn 
psalms  and  hymns  of  praise.  He  had  no  relish  for 
anything  formal  or  artificial,  such  as  the  repetitions  in 
fugue  tunes  or  the  establishment  of  singing  choirs.  As 
to  the  use  of  musical  instruments  in  worship,  he  was 
utterly  opposed  to  it,  and  took  occasion  at  a  later  period 
to  remark  in  regard  to  it  that  it  was  well  adapted  to 
churches  •*  founded  on  the  Jewish  pattern  of  things'* 
and  practicing  infant  sprinkling. 

"  That  all  persons,"  said  he,  "  who  have  no  spiritual  dis- 
cernment, taste  or  relish  for  spiritual  meditations,  consolations 
and  sympathies  of  renewed  hearts,  should  call  for  such  aid  is 
but  natural.  Pure  water  from  the  flinty  rock  has  no  attractions 
for  the  mere  toper  or  wine-bibber.  A  little  alcohol,  or  genuine 
Cogniac  brandy,  or  good  old  Madeira  is  essential  to  the  bev- 
erage to  make  it  truly  refreshing.  So  to  those  who  have  no 
real  devotion  or  spirituality  in  them,  and  whose  animal  nature 
flags  under  the  oppression  of  church  service,  I  think  that  in- 
strumental music  would  be  not  only  a  desideratum,  but  an  es- 
sential prerequisite  to  fire  up  their  souls  to  even  animal  de- 
votion. But  I  presume  to  all  spiritually-minded  Christians 
such  aids  would  be  as  a  cow-bell  in  a  concert."  M.  H.,  Series 
iv.,  vol.  i.,  p.  581. 

Shortly  before  the  time  of  Thomas  Campbell's  visit 
to  Richmond  a  slave  insurrection  in  Southampton 
county,  attended  with  the  brutal  slaughter  of  more  than 
sixty  persons,  nearly  half  of  whom  were  mothers  and 


EMANCIPATION  OF  SLAVES,  367 

children,  had  spread  a  feeling  of  alarm  and  insecurity 
through  that  portion  of  the  State  exposed  to  a  similar 
calamity,  and  every  one  seemed  anxious  that  something 
should  be  at  once  done  to  avert  impending  dangers. 
The  subject  of  slavery,  previously  referred  to  only  in 
the  most  guarded  manner,  was  now  everywhere  freely 
and  unreservedly  canvassed,  and  various  plans  were 
proposed  for  its  removal,  its  injurious  effects  upon  the 
political  and  social  interests  of  the  State  being  strongly 
urged  in  the  Richmond  papers  and  in  the  Legislature. 
Although  far  removed  from  the  troubled  district  and 
free  from  the  immediate  evils  of  the  slavery  institution, 
Mr.  Campbell  thought  it  his  duty  as  a  citizen  to  use  his 
influence  in  favor  of  emancipation,  and  to  express  his 
sentiments  upon  the  institution  itself. 

"^/az^tfry,"  said  he,  *' that  largest  and  blackest  blot  upon 
our  national  escutcheon,  that  many-headed  monster,  that  Pan- 
dora's box,  that  bitter  root,  that  blighting  and  blasting  curse 
under  which  so  fair  and  so  large  a  portion  of  our  beloved 
country  groans — that  deadly  Upas,  whose  breath  pollutes  and 
poisons  everything  within  its  influence — is  now  evoking  the 
attention  of  this  ancient  and  venerable  commonwealth  in  a 
manner  as  unexpected  as  it  is  irresistible  and  cheering  to 
every  philanthropist — to  every  one  who  has  a  heart  to  feel,  a 
tear  to  shed  over  human  wretchedness,  or  a  tongue  to  speak 
for  degraded  humanity.  .  .  .  We  have  always  thought,  and 
frequently  said,  since  we  became  acquainted  with  the  general 
views  and  character  of  the  people  of  Virginia,  that  there  was 
as  much  republicanism  in  Virginia,  even  in  the  slaveholding 
districts,  as  could  be  found  among  the  same  number  of  inhab- 
itants in  any  State  in  the  Union.  And,  moreover,  we  have 
thought  that  if  the  abolition  of  slavery  was  legitimately  to 
be  laid  before  the  people  of  this  commonwealth,  as  it  now  is, 
there  would  be  found  even  among  slaveholders  a  majority  to 
concur  in  a  national  system  of  emancipation. 


^ 


36S         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

^^  Under  this  conviction  we  had  digested  a  plan  for  the  final 
abolition  of  slavery  in  this  State,  which  we  intended  to  sub- 
mit in  the  Convention  which  framed  the  present  constitution ; 
and  indeed  this  was  a  chief  inducement  to  reconcile  us  to  a 
seat  in  that  body.  But  in  the  more  matured  judgment  of 
many  members  of  that  convention  with  whom  we  conferred, 
and  who  were  as  alive  to  the  subject  as  we  could  be,  it  was 
thought  impolitic  and  inexpedient  at  that  time  to  urge  this 
subject  farther  than  to  guard  against  the  insertion  of  a  single 
word  in  the  constitution  recognizing  the  existence  of  this  evil. 
The  subject  is  then  constitutionally  within  the  power  of  the 
Legislature  to  take  any  measures,  at  any  time,  which  in  its 
wisdom  it  may  think  expedient." 

As  the  plan  recommended  by  Mr.  Jefferson,  which  was 
to  colonize  beyond  the  limits  of  the  United  States  all  slaves 
born  after  a  certain  period,  was  then  under  discussion,  along 
with  other  methods  of  getting  rid  of  the  evil,  Mr.  Campbell 
on  his  part  proposed  this  plan :  That  the  ten  millions  of  dol- 
lars previously  appropriated  annually  to  the  payment  of  the 
national  debt  then  just  extinguished,  should  thenceforth  be 
applied  to  the  colonization  of  the  colored '  race,  as  stated  in 
these  terms : 

^^Be  it  enacted^  That  from  and  after  the  first  day  of  January, 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-four,  the  sum  of  ten 
millions  of  dollars  shall  be  annually  appropriated  to  the  col- 
onization of  all  people  of  color,  either  slaves  or  free  persons, 

in ,  until  the  soil  of  our  free  and  happy  country  shall  not 

be  trod  by  the  foot  of  a  slave,  nor  enriched  by  a  drop  of  his 
sweat  or  blood ;  that  all  the  world  may  not  believe  that  we 
are  a  nation  of  hypocrites^  asserting  all  men  to  have  cer- 
tain natural  and  inherent  rights,  which  in  our  practice  we 
deny  ;  and  shedding  crocodile  tears  over  the  fall  of  Warsaw, 
and  illuminating  for  the  revolution  of  tlie  Parisians,  while  we 
have  millions  of  miserable  human  beings  at  hoine  held  in 
involuntary  bondage,  in  ignorance,  degradation  and  vice,  by 
a  republican  system  of  free  slave  holding** 

He  adds  :  ^^  Virginia  can,  and  she  will,  rid  herself  of  this 


THE  PUBLIC  INTERESTS.  369 

curse  ;  and  we  say  the  sooner  she  does  it,  the  better  for  herself, 
morally,  politically,  religiously  and  every  other  way.  But 
should  the  nation  take  it  up,  how  gloriously  would  the  cause 
triumph !  And  as  sure  as  the  Ohio  winds  its  way  to  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  will  slavery  desolate  and  blast  our  political 
existence,  unless  effectual  measures  be  adopted  to  bring  it  to 
a  close  while  it  is  in  the  power  of  the  nation." 

Thus  it  was  that  Mr.  Campbell,  ever  mindful  of  the 
best  and  highest  interests  of  society,  omitted  no  oppor* 
tunity  of  employing  his  abilities  and  his  influence  in 
behalf  of  every  measure  likely  to  promote  them.  Prompt 
but  not  rash,  conservative  but  not  stationary,  his  plans 
were  usually  characterized  no  less  by  novelty  than  by 
prudence,  and  his  thoughts  upon  political  as  well  as 
upon  religious  and  other  subjects  were  marked  by  that 
breadth  of  view,  that  truthful  simplicity  and  practical 
sagacity  which  ever  distinguish  superior  minds. 

TOL.  II. — Y 


CHAPTER   XI. 

Union  with  the  "  Christians  "—Faith  and  opinion— Distinguished  feUow- 
laborers — Eastern  tour— Skeptics  of  New  York— Editorial  labors — Pro- 
gress of  truth. 

THE  tendency  of  religious  theories  to  create  divisioni 
as  seen  in  the  last  chapter,  was  now  to  be  con- 
trasted with  the  power  of  the  Scriptures  to  promote 
union.  The  good  feeling  between  the  '*  Reformers" 
and  the  preachers  and  members  of  the  *' Christian  Con- 
nection," which  a  common  advocacy  of  the  Bible  had 
produced  some  years  before  on  the  Western  Reserve, 
had  gradually  extended  itself  to  other  parts  of  Ohio, 
and  especially  to  Kentucky,  where  the  "Christians" 
constituted  a  large  and  respectable  body,  estimated  at 
from  ten  to  twelve  thousand  members.  It  was  natural 
that  a  warm  mutual  sympathy  should  arise  between  the 
two  people  whose  religious  views  and  aims  in  many 
respects  corresponded,  and  that  the  high  personal  re- 
gard existing  between  Mr.  Campbell  and  B,  W.  Stone, 
L.  Fleming  and  other  preachers  of  the  **  Connection," 
as  well  as  between  many  of  the  private  members  of  the 
two  communities,  should  lead  to  mutual  intercourse  and 
to  a  better  understanding  upon  religious  subjects. 

The  agreement  which  was  found  to  exist  in  all  im- 
portant matters  had  already  given  rise  to  desires  and  even 
plans  for  union,  but  each  of  the  communities  still  pre- 
served its  separate  organization,  and,  in  some  respects, 

370 


DISTINCTIVE  DIFFERENCES.  371 

its  distinctive  character.  B.  W.  Stone  favored  a  more 
free  communion.  *' As  well,"  said  he,  '*  might  we  forbid 
unimmersed  persons  to  pray,  to  praise,  to  teach,  as  to 
forbid  them  to  commune.  .  .  .  What  authority  have 
we  for  inviting  or  debarring  any  pious,  holy  believer 
from  the  Lord's  table?  Though  it  is  done  by  many, 
we  see  no  divine  authority  for  it."  Mr.  Campbell  had 
formerly  expressed  sentiments  precisely  similar,  but  a 
fuller  comprehension  of  the  relations  of  baptism  to 
regeneration  and  the  remission  of  sins  had  latterly  in- 
clined him  to  stricter  views.  He  dreaded  even  the 
appearance  of  setting  aside  any  divine  institution,  or 
of  assuming  tc)  judge  of  men  by  their  supposed  5/«- 
cerity  rather  than  by  their  actual  obedience  to  the 
word  of  God.  Again,  B.  W.  Stone  thought  that  the 
name  '*  Christian"  was  given  by  divine  authority  and 
ought  to  be  the  distinctive  title  of  every  follower  of 
Jesus.  This  was  also  the  view  of  Thomas  Campbell 
(C.  B.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  12),  but  his  son  did  not  concur  in 
this,  nor  concede  the  correctness  of  the  criticism  on 
the  word  (^XfUfjiiazitTa;)  upon  which  it  chiefly  rested. 
He  admitted  indeed  that  the  name  Christian  was  pro- 
per and  appropriate,  and  only  wished  that  all  were 
worthy  of  it.  He  preferred  *'  disciple,"  however,  as  a 
more  humble  appellation  and  of  earlier  and  more  fre- 
quent use  in  the  New  Testament.  Much  of  Mr.  Camp- 
bell's repugnance  to  the  denominational  name  Christian 
was  due  to  the  fact  that  the  anti-Trinitarian  specula- 
tions of  those  who  had  already  adopted  it,  had  sub- 
jected them  to  charges  of  Arianism,  a  heresy  to  which 
he  had  a  peculiar  antipathy.  These  charges  indeed  he 
had  found  by  intercourse  with  Mr.  Stone  and  others  to 
be  unjust,  and  he  had  become  latterly  well  satisfied 
that  the  **  Christians"  generally  in  Kentucky  were  dis- 


^ 


37»    MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

posed  to  abandon  all  speculation  about  the  modus  of 
the  divine  existence : 

"  In  Kentucky,"  said  he,  "  and  the  South-west  generally, 
this  is  getting  out  of  fashion,  and  many  of  the  congregations 
called  '^  Christians'  are  just  as  sound  in  the  faith  of  Jesus  as 
the  only-begotten  Son  of  God,  in  the  plain  import  of  these 
terms,  as  any  congregations  with  which  I  am  acquainted. 
With  all  such  I,  as  an  individual,  am  united,  and  would  re- 
joice in  seeing  all  the  immersed  disciples  of  the  Son  of  God 
called  ^  Christians,'  and  walking  in  all  the  commandments 
of  the  Lord  and  Saviour.  We  plead  for  the  union,  commu- 
nion and  co-operation  of  all  such  ;  and  wherever  there  are  in 
any  vicinity  a  remnant  of  those  who  keep  the  commandments 
of  Jesus,  whatever  may  have  been  their  fonner  designation, 
they  ought  to  rally  under  Jesus  and  the  apostles  and  bury  all 
dissensions  about  such  unprofitable  subjects  as  those  long- 
vexed  questions  about  trinity,  atonement,  depravity,  election, 
effectual  calling,  etc.  If  it  had  not  been  for  this  most  unrea- 
sonable war  about  Arian  or  Unitarian  orthodoxy,  the  name 
Christian  would  not  have  been  traduced  in  the  land  as  it 
has  been,  and  much  might  have  been  done  to  promote  the 
union  of  all  who  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  sincerely.  With 
all  such  I  am  united  in  heart  and  in  hand,  and  with  all  such 
I  will,  with  the  help  of  God,  co-operate  in  any  measure 
which  can  conduce  to  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
Indeed  I  feel  myself,  as  an  individual  (for  here  I  only  speak 
for  myself),  at  perfect  liberty  to  unite  in  every  act  of  relig- 
ious worship  with  any  sect  of  Baptists  in  America — not  as  a 
sect,  but  as  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ — if  their  moral  and 
Christian  behavior  be  compatible  with  the  gospel,  irrespect- 
ive of  all  their  speculations  upon  the  untaught  questions  of 
their  creeds." 

Thu^/aiik^  and  not  opinion  y  was  ever  with  Mr.  Camp* 
bell  the  basis  of  Christian  union.  He  advocated  fel- 
lowship with  all  who  received  the  teachings  of  the 
Scripture   in  their  simple  and  obvious  meaning,  and 


MEANS   OF  UNION,  373 

whose  conduct  corresponded  with  these  teachings. 
There  was  no  need  of  strained  interpretations,  spe- 
cious glosses  or  textual  perversions  where  no  theologi- 
cal theory  was  to  be  sustained,  but  all  could  learn  the 
truth  by  taking  the  Bible  in  its  proper  connection,  and 
construing  it  in  harmony  with  the  established  laws  of 
language.  When,  from  the  necessity  of  the  subject^ 
as  in  the  case  of  the  inscrutable  myteries  of  the  divine 
nature,  a  boundary  was  reached  beyond  which  the 
human  mind  was  unable  to  pass,  there  its  investigations 
must  be  reverently  stayed  in  humble  adoration.  Within 
these  boundaries  even,  a  just  regard  was  to  be  paid  to 
time  and  opportunity  as  to  the  extent  of  Christian 
attainment.  The  simple  truths  of  the  gospel  could  be 
received  by  babes  in  Christ,  and  upon  these  truths  all 
could  be  united  in  one  body,  in  which  progress  was 
indicated  not  by  schism  but  by  growth,  and  every  part 
of  which,  **  fitly  joined  together,*'  thus  made  increase 
"  unto  the  edifying  of  itself  in  love."  All,  if  not  taught, 
must  at  least  be  teachable ;  all  must  seek  wisdom,  but 
not  to  be  **  wise  above  what  is  written ;"  and  in  all  cases 
obedience  must  keep  pace  with  knowledge  of  the 
divine  will. 

Such  were  alike  the  guiding  principles  of  both  com- 
munities, and  any  apparent  differences  in  progress 
were  more  complementary  than  antagonistic.  Both 
Mr.  Campbell  and  Mr.  Stone  were  alike  devoted  to 
the  great  end  of  uniting  the  true  followers  of  Christ  into 
one  communion  upon  the  Bible,  but  each  regarded  the 
method  of  its  accomplishment  from  his  own  point  of 
view.  Mr.  Campbell,  contemplating  the  distinct  con- 
gregations with  their  proper  functionaries  as  the  highest 
religious  executive  authority  on  earth,  was  in  doubt  how 
2i  formal  \xvL\on  could  be  attained,  whether  by  a  general 

82 


n 


374        MEMOIRS    OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

convention  of  messengers  or  a  general  assembly  of  the 
people.  Barton  W.  Stone,  on  the  other  hand,  looking 
at  the  essential  spirit  of  the  gospel,  exclaimed,  **  Oh, 
my  brethren,  let  us  repent  and  do  the  first  works*  let  us 
seek  for  more  holiness,  rather  than  trouble  ourselves  and 
others  with  schemes  and  plans  of  union.  The  love  of 
God,  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost  given 
unto  us,  will  more  effectuallv  unite  than  all  the  wisdom 
of  the  world  combined."  This  great  truth  was  not  long 
in  being  exemplified,  and  that,  too,  by  methods  which, 
like  the  natural  movements  of  the  body,  were  the  most 
direct  and  simple,  and  which  will  be  full}'  seen  in  the 
brief  notices  which  it  is  necessary  now  to  take  of  some 
of  the  individuals  who  chiefly  aided  in  accomplishing 
the  desired  end. 

Among  these  may  be  particularly  mentioned  John 
Rogers,  a  younger  brother  of  Samuel  Rogers,  already 
spoken  of.  Bom  in  Clark  county,  Kentucky,  Decem- 
ber 6,  j8oo,  he  was  taken  in  1801,  with  the  rest  of  the 
family,  to  the  West,  and  spent  his  early  years  on  the 
plantation  owned  by  his  father  not  far  from  St.  Louis, 
then  called  Pancour.  In  1809  the  family  returned  to 
Kentucky,  and  settled  near  Concord  in  Nicholas  county, 
where  considerable  religious  excitement  still  lingered. 
After  the  baptism  of  his  brother  Samuel  in  181 2,  his 
attention  became  strongly  directed  to  religion,  so  that 
in  the  following  year,  during  meetings  held  in  Millers- 
burg  in  Bourbon  county,  by  B.  W.  Stone  and  others, 
and  where  Walter  Warder  and  J.  Vardeman  also  were 
preaching,  he  earnestly  sought  for  some  time  that  '*  re- 
ligious experience"  which  was  supposed  to  be  conver- 
sion, and  which  apparently  had  been  obtained  by  some 
of  his  associates  who  joined  the  Baptist  Church.  Being 
exhorted  to  pray  on,  and  still  hoping  for  some  inexplic- 


CALL   TO   THE  MINISTRY.  375 

able,  palpable  or  sensible  manifestation  by  which  he 
would  **know  his  sins  forgiven/*  he  passed  through 
various  states  of  feeling,  and  was  finally,  in  December, 
1818,  baptized-  by  B.  W.  Stone,  and  united  with  the 
Christian  Church.  As  he  gave  evidence  of  piety  and 
speaking  abilities,  his  brother  Samuel  obtained  his  re- 
lease from  his  apprenticeship  to  the  cabinet  business,  to 
which  he  had  already  devoted  three  years,  and  he 
engaged  soon  after  in  preaching  in  Ohio  and  else- 
where, working  occasionally  at  his  business  in  order 
to  defray  expenses,  and  encountering  all  the  toils  and 
hardships  of  the  pioneer  Christian  preachers,  traveling 
on  foot  and  preaching  almost  daily  with  little  pecuniary 
compensation,  but  considerable  success  in  turning  sin- 
ners to  Christ.  Having  procured  a  horse,  he  worked 
again  at  his  trade  in  Wilmington,  Ohio,  to  obtain  cloth- 
ing and  a  saddle  and  bridle,  and  preached  for  a  con- 
siderable  time  in  that  portion  of  the  State.  He  accom- 
panied afterward  tiis  brother  Samuel  on  two  long  tours 
through  Missouri,  making  a  great  many  converts,  and 
after  his  return  visited  various  parts  of  Virginia.  During 
all  this  time  he  was  greatly  troubled  in  regard  to  his 
**  call  to  the  ministry,"  it  being  strongly  held  by  the 
**  Christians"  that  there  must  be  a  sensible,  special  and 
unmistakable  ••  call"  to  preach,  and  that  no  one  should 
**  take  this  honor  to  himself"  or  presume  to  administer 
the  ordinances  unless  thus  **  called  of  God."  As  John 
Rogers  had  not  been  the  subject  of  any  special  visita- 
tion, but  felt  impelled  to  labor  simply  from  an  earnest 
desire  to  serve  the  cause  of  Christ  and  to  bring  men  to 
a  knowledge  of  salvation,  he  often  felt  inclined  to  doubt 
his  authority.  These  doubts,  however,  were  subse- 
quently transferred  to  the  clerical  theory  which  had 
created  them. 


376        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

In  the  year  of  Mr.  CampbeU's  debate  with  McCalla 
(1823)  he  became  the  regular  preacher  for  the  church 
at  Carlisle,  in  Nicholas  county,  Kentucky,  where  three 
years  afterward  he  first  saw  Mr.  Campbell,  who  was 
there  on  a  visit.  From  this  interview,  and  the  reading 
of  the  •*  Christian  Baptist,"  his  views  of  the  Christian 
institution  were  much  enlarged,  and  he  learned  greatly 
to  admire  and  love  the  individual  whose  developments 
of  the  primitive  gospel  had  done  so  much  to  enlighten 
men's  minds  on  the  subject  of  religion.  Being  a  true 
lover  of  the  Bible,  and  a  man  of  clear  perception  and 
sober  judgment,  he  was  not  long  in  comprehending  and 
appreciating  aright  those  points  in  which  Mr.  Camp- 
bell was  thought  to  differ  from  Mr.  Stone ;  and  as  he 
had  much  influence  with  his  own  people,  he  became 
largely  instrumental  in  removing  prejudices  and  pre- 
paring the  way  for  a  cordial  Christian  union  with  the 
Reformers. 

Another  individual  whose  influence  greatly  contrib- 
uted to  this  union  was  Thomas  M.  Allen,  a  native  of 
Shenandoah,  now  Warren  county,  Va.,  bom  October 
21,  1797.  His  ancestors  were  Presbyterians,  and  he  re- 
ceived his  education  chiefly  from  Mr.  Snyder  and  Wil- 
liam Williamson,  Presbyterian  preachers,  and  from 
John  S.  McNamara,  one  of  the  most  eminent  mathe- 
maticians of  the  time.  Before  he  was  seventeen  years 
of  age  he  entered  the  army  as  a  volunteer,  and  served 
for  more  than  six  months  during  the  war  with  England, 
in  a  Virginia  regiment  commanded  by  Colonel  Yancy. 
In  1816,  while  returning  to  Virginia  from  a  visit  to 
Kentucky,  when  within  six  miles  of  Washington,  Pa., 
in  a  violent  storm  a  large  tree  suddenly  fell  across  the 
road,  instantly  killing  a  young  lady  by  his  side  and 
crushing  his  own  horse  under  him,  inflicting  upon  hiro 


J 


THOMAS  M,  ALLBN.  377 

at  the  same  time  so  much  injury  as  to  result  in  the 
almost  entire  loss  of  the  use  of  his  left  arm.  Remov- 
ing to  Kentucky  in  18199  he  married  in  Fayette  county, 
and  attended  the  law  school  of  Transylvania  University, 
and  subsequently,  in  1822,  commenced  the  practice  of 
law  in  Bloomington,  Ind.  Her^  his  success  equaled 
his  highest  expectations,  but  he  and  his  wife  being  im- 
mersed by  B.  W.  Stone,  he  returned  to  Kentucky,  and 
on  the  23d  of  June,  1823,  became  one  of  the  original 
six  members  of  the  church  constituted  at  **  Old  Union, ** 
in  Fayette  county,  the  other  male  members  being 
Samuel  Ellis  and  James  Rankin.  He  soon  commenced 
preaching,  and  in  May,  1825,  was  ordained  at  *'  Union." 
His  speaking  abilities,  fine  personal  appearance  and 
popular  manners  gave  him  great  influence,  and  his 
labors  were  attended  with  marked  success.  He  planted 
churches  at  Paris,  Antioch  and  Clintonville  in  Bour- 
bon county,  and  at  Cynthiana  in  Harrison,  being  also 
a  fellow-laborer  with  most  of  the  distinguished  pioneer 
preachers  of  Kentucky,  and  enjoying  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  the  entire  brotherhood. 

He  had  obtained  the  ^<  Christian  Baptist"  soon  after  it 
commenced,  and  was  delighted  with  its  developments 
of  the  simple  nature  of  the  religion  of  Christ,  its  dis- 
tinctions between  the  different  dispensations,  and  the 
new  light  which  it  threw  upon  the  themes  of  the  Bible. 
He  quickly  abandoned  all  the  speculations  for  which 
with  others  he  had  been  contending,  and  accustomed 
himself  to  speak  always  of  Bible  things. in  Bible  words. 
The  total  avoidance  of  the  terms  of  scholastic  divinity, 
and  the  practice  of  speaking  of  the  Father,  the  Son 
and  the  Holy  Spirit  just  as  the  Scriptures  speak,  he 
soon  found  to  do  more  toward  settling  the  vexed  ques- 
tions about  the  *<  Trinity"  than  had  been  done  by  the 

32  • 


1 


378        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

controversies  of  fifteen  centuries.  He  aided  much  in 
extending  the  circulation  of  the  "Christian  Baptist"  and 
of  the  views  it  presented,  and  in  leading  the  people  for- 
ward to  more  accurate  conceptions  of  primitive  Chris- 
tianity, and  labored  to  promote  the  most  fraternal  and 
friendly  relations  between  the  **  Christians'*  and  the 
Reformers. 

In  July,  1827,  he  baptized  at  Georgetown  a  young 
man  about  twenty-two  years  of  age,  who  was  destined  to 
exert  no  inconsiderable  influence  upon  the  progress  of 
truth  in  Kentucky.  Born  at  Georgetown,  John  Allen 
Gano  had  received  during  his  early  years  a  good  Eng- 
lish education  and  some  knowledge  of  the  languages 
from  B.  W.  Stone,  Jesse  Olds  and  Charles  O'Hara. 
During  this  period  his  religious  impressions  were 
strong,  but  were  afterward  effaced  by  his  love  of  so- 
ciety and  youthful  pleasure.  Having  studied  law,  he 
resolved,  after  his  admission  to  the  bar,  to  go  to  Texas 
as  his  permanent  home,  but  upon  his  way,  descending 
the  Ohio,  was  seized  with  a  severe  haemorrhage  of  the 
lungs,  and  was  left  at  a  village  on  the  Kentucky  shore 
to  die.  While  in  this  alarming  state,  his  religious  feel- 
ings returned  with  great  force,  and  as  he  slowly  recov- 
ered he  determined  to  study  the  word  of  God  and  to 
adopt  a  different  course  of  life.  When  able  to  return 
to  Georgetown,  he  waited  on  the  ministrations  of  vari- 
ous preachers,  but  found  so  little  light  and  so  many 
contradictions  in  their  teaching  that  he  became  dis- 
couraged as  to  the  possibility  of  finding  the  way  of  life, 
and  had  nearly  fallen  into  his  old  associations,  when 
he  fortunately  attended  the  preaching  of  B.  W.  Stone 
and  his  brethren,  under  which  he  was  brought  into  a 
state  of  deep  conviction  and  was  led  to  confess  Christ. 
Possessed  of  warm  feelings  and  great  readiness  of  ex- 


JOHN  ALLEN  GANO,  379 

pression,  he  could  not  refrain  from  urging  the  claims 
of  the  gospel  upon  the  people,  both  at  the  time  he  con- 
fessed his  faith  and  at  his  immersion,  and  soon  became 
fully  engaged  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  in  which  he 
was  eminently  successful.  It  was  in  the  year  of  his 
baptism  that  he  first  saw  and  heard  Mr.  Campbell,  and 
was  at  once  impressed  by  his  preaching  and  teaching, 
which  he  thought  excelled  anything  he  had  ever  heard. 

"  I  sought  him  out,"  he  remarked,  "  at  the  residence  of 
Brother  J.  T.  Johnson.  I  feared  I  should  be  overawed  in 
the  presence  of  one  so  gifled.  But  I  found  him  so  easy  of 
access,  so  kindly  attentive  to  every  question,  such  Christ- 
like humility  and  benevolence  breathing  in  every  word  and 
manifest  in  every  action,  that  I  soon  felt  myself  at  home  with 
him.  I  do  not  remember  to  have  seen  so  much  of  heavenly 
wisdom  and  true  dignity  of  character,  blended  with  such 
child-like  simplicity  and  meekness,  except  in  the  beautiful 
life  of  his  co-laborer,  B.  W.  Stone.  I  wondered  that  any  one 
could  see  and  hear  him  and  not  admire  and  love  him.  After 
this  I  read  his  writings  with  great  interest  and  profit.  Since 
then,"  he  continues,  in  a  recent  communication,  ^^  I  have  had 
the  pleasure  of  his  company  at' our  home  and  elsewhere,  more 
or  less  through  a  period  of  nearly  forty  years.  I  have  always 
found  him  the  same  truly  courteous,  affable,  Christian  gen- 
tleman— pure,  chaste  and  dignified  in  deportment  and  con- 
versation— a  model  of  piety  and  devotion  to  God.  Oh  it  was 
always  a  rich  treat  to  listen  to  his  words  of  wisdom  and 
divine  instruction,  drawing  as  he  ever  did  from  the  Book 
of  books  his  lessons  of  truth  and  love  I  .  .  .  I  owe  to  this 
great  and  good  man  much  indeed.  And  amongst  the  things 
not  the  least,  the  lesson  that  enabled  me  to  distinguish  the 
gospel,  in  its  facts,  commands  and  promises,  from  the  opinions 
and  speculations  of  men  about  them — the  one  the  power  of 
God  unto  salvation,  the  other  powerless,  empty  and  vain." 

There  was  another  individual,  however,  who  perhaps 
more  than  any  one  else  directly  contributed  to  effect  the 


1 


380        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL, 

coalescence  of  the  two  communities.  This  was  J.  T. 
Johnson,  at  whose  house  Mr.  Gano  first  formed  a  per- 
sonal acquaintance  with  Mr.  Campbell.  Born  October 
5,  17889  in  Scott  county,  Kentucky,  and  educated  at 
Transylvania  University,  he  studied  law  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice  before  he  was  twenty-one.  After  his 
marriage  he  resided  on  a  farm  near  Georgetown,  and 
during  the  war  of  181 2  became  a  volunteer  aid  to 
General  Harrison,  and  at  the  siege  of  Fort  Meigs,  in 
his  fearless  discharge  of  duty,  had  a  fine  gray  charger 
shot  under  him,  and  was  himself  struck  by  a  ball,  though 
not  seriously  injured.  After  the  peace  he  became,  in 
1815,  a  candidate  for  the  Legislature,  and  was  readily 
elected  every  year  in  succession  till  1819.  In  the  finan- 
cial crisis  of  this  year  he  lost  his  entire  fortune,  some 
fifty  thousand  dollars,  which  he  voluntarily  gave  up  to 
pay  the  debts  of  his  friends,  for  whom  his  generous  con- 
fidence had  induced  him  to  become  surety.  In  1820  he 
was  elected  to  Congress,  in  which  he  served  four  years, 
and  in  1828  was  again  returned  to  the  State  Legislature, 
after  which,  from  his  love  for  domestic  quiet,  he  deter- 
mined to  abandon  political  life,  much  to  the  regret  of 
the  people. 

Ever  characterized  by  the  highest  moral  integrity,  he 
had  evinced  also  a  sincere  religious  faith,  and  before  his 
first  entrance  upon  congressional  duties  had  become  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  church  at  the  Great  Crossings 
during  the  summer  of  182 1.  It  was  not,  however,  until 
after  his  retirement  from  the  busy  scenes  of  political 
life  that  he  undertook  to  examine  carefully  those  re- 
ligious questions  which  were  at  this  time  occasioning  so 
much  excitement  in  Kentucky,  and  to  which  his  atten- 
tion had  been  particularly  directed  by  the  proceedings 
of  the  church  at  Great  Crossings  in  1828  against  J. 


JOHN  T.  JOHNSON  38 1 

Creath,  Jr.,  who  was  at  that  time  their  preacher  and 
knowji  to  favor  the  doctrines  of  the  Reformers.  During 
the  years  1829-30  he  himself  says, 

^*  I  had  more  leisure.  The  public  mind  was  much  excited 
in  regard  to  what  was  vulgarly  called  Campbellism,  and  I  re- 
solved to  examine  it  in  the  light  of  the  Bible.  I  was  won 
over,  and  contended  for  it  with  all  my  might  in  the  private 
circle.  I  was  astonished  at  the  ignorance  and  per\'ersity  of 
learned  men  who  were  reputed  pious  and  otherwise  esteemed 
honorable.  My  eyes  were  opened  and  I  was  made  perfectly 
free  by  the  truth.  And  the  debt  of  gratitude  I  owe  to  that 
man  of  God,  Alexander  Campbell,  no  language  can  tell.'' 

He  was  no  sooner  convinced  of  the  correctness  of  the 
reformatory  principles  than,  with  that  promptitude  and 
earnestness  which  belonged  to  his  character,  he  at  once 
endeavored  to  introduce  them  into  the  church  at  the 
Great  Crossings.  These  efforts,  however,  being  resisted, 
and  the  church  persisting  in  unscriptural  usages,  and  in 
refusing  to  deceive  as  members  persons  who  had  con- 
fessed Christ  and  been  immersed  into  his  name  after 
the  primitive  model,  he  resolved  to  detach  himself  and 
form  a  society  governed  exclusively  by  the  Bible.  Ac- 
cordingly, on  the  second  Saturday  of  February,  183 1, 
he,  with  two  others,  B.  S.  Chambers  and  W.  Johnson, 
formed  the  nucleus  of  a  separate  congregation  at  the 
Great  Crossings,  and  at  this  first  meeting  he  baptized 
his  wife  and  his  brother  Joel  and  his  wife,  thus  consti- 
tuting a  church  of  six  members.  Abandoning  soon  after 
the  lucrative  practice  of  law  in  which  he  had  been  en- 
gaged, he  began  the  public  advocacy  of  that  primitive 
gospel  which,  by  its  simplicity  and  wonderful  adap- 
tation to  the  wants  and  condition  of  a  sinful  world, 
had  captivated  his  heart  and  enlisted  all  the  powers  of 
his  noble  nature.     Abounding  in  human  sympathies, 


382        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

high-minded  and  honorable  in  all  his  feelings,  he  p)os- 
sessed  a  remarkable  ingenuousness  and  simple  (|irect- 
ness  of  purpose  which  inspired  at  once  respect  and  con- 
fidence. Without  that  profundity  or  reach  of  thought 
by  which  some  men  are  characterized,  he  possessed  a 
singular  power  of  perceiving  the  practical  relations  of 
things  and  of  disengaging  at  once  the  speculative  and 
the  fanciful  from  the  actual  and  the  positive.  Hence 
he  soon  became  distinguished  as  a  preacher  for  the 
directness  of  his  appeals  and  the  scriptural  simplicity 
of  his  addresses,  while  his  high  personal  character,  his 
well-known  disinterestedness,  his  courteous  bearing  and 
fervid  devotion  to  the  cause  of  God  and  of  humanity 
soon  rendered  him  one  of  the  most  successful  and 
effective  advocates  of  the  cause.  In  stature  he  was 
slightly  above  the  medium  height,  and  his  person  was 
finely  formed.  His  countenance  was  pleasing,  with  an 
unmistakable  air  of  frankness  and  kindness,  which,  to- 
gether with  the  peculiar  dignity  of  his  manner,  secured 
the  most  respectful  attention. 

His  separation  from  the  Baptist  party,  and  his  adop- 
tion of  the  Bible  alone  as  the  source  of  religious  light, 
led  him  to  a  closer  intimacy  with  B.  W.  Stone,  who 
lived  near  Georgetown,  and  for  whom  he  entertained  a 
high  regard,  and  he  was  urged  by  the  latter  to  become 
co-editor  of  the  "Christian  Messenger,"  to  which  he 
acceded  at  the  close  of  183 1.  Heartily  sympathizing 
in  the  earnest  efforts  of  Elder  Stone  to  establish  the 
union  of  Christians  upon  the  Bible,  this  subject  en- 
grossed much  of  his  attention,  and  he  appears  to  have 
agreed  to  aid  in  editing  the  paper  in  order  to  promote, 
if  possible,  a  general  coalescence  between  those  in  re- 
ligious connection  with  Mr.  Stone  and  the  Reformers, 
who  had  recently  been  in  a  good  measure  separated 


J 


MEETINGS  FOR   UNION.  383 

from  the  Baptists.  He  found  that  a  union  in  sentiment 
and  religious  aims  already  existed  between  the  two 
people  to  a  great  extent.  Both  desired  to  build  upon 
the  Bible  alone ;  both  were  opposed  to  creeds  as  terms 
of  communion ;  both  desired  the  spread  of  the  primitive 
gospel ;  both  were  alike  persecuted  and  maligned  by 
those  who,  glorying  in  ortliodoxy  of  opinion,  failed  to 
recognize  a  scriptural  unity  of  faith.  He  felt,  there- 
fore, that  he  could  heartily  co-operate  with  Elder  Stone 
in  endeavoring  to  overthrow  the  bigotry  which  he  de- 
tested and  to  promote  the  Christian  union  which  he 
longed  to  see  prevail,  and  which  was  throughout  his 
life  one  of  his  most  favorite  themes. 

This  editorial  union  of  B.  W.  Stone  and  J.  T.  John- 
son was  soon  followed  by  a  fraternal  union  between  the 
**  Christian"  church  and  a  number  of  Reformers  residing 
in  Georgetown.  Agreeing  to  worship  together,  they 
found  so  much  agreement  in  all  essential  matters,  and 
so  happy  an  effect  produced  in  the  increased  number 
of  conversions,  that  they  were  induced  near  the  close 
of  183 1  to  appoint  a  general  meeting  at  Georgetown  to 
continue  four  days,  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the 
subject  of  a  complete  union  between  the  two  people. 
This  meeting  included  Christmas  day,  and  a  similar 
one  was  appointed  for  the  following  week,  including 
New  Year's  day,  at  Lexington.  Many  of  the  leading 
preachers  on  both  sides  attended  and  took  part  in  these 
meetings,  and  so  much  evidence  was  afforded  of  mutual 
Christian  love  and  confidence,  and  such  undoubted  as- 
surances were  given  of  a  firm  determination  on  the  part 
of  all  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  doctrinal  speculations, 
but  to  accept  as  conclusive  upon  all  subjects  the  simple 
teaching  of  the  Bible,  that  there  seemed  to  be  no  longer 
anything  in  the  way  of  the  most  earnest  and  hearty  co- 


^ 


384        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

operation.  After  the  meeting  at  Lexington,  some  fur- 
ther friendlj'  conferences  were  held  by  means  of  com- 
mittees, and  by  arrangement  the  members  of  both 
churches  communed  together  on  the  19th  of  Februarj'', 
agreeing  to  consummate  the  formal  and  public  union 
of  the  two  churches  on  the  following  Lord's  day,  the 
26th.  During  the  week,  however,  some  began  to  fear 
a  difficulty  in  relation  to  the  choice  of  elders  and  the 
practical  adoption  of  weekly  communion,  which  they 
thought  would  require  the  constant  presence  of  an  or- 
dained administrator.  The  person  who  generally  min- 
istered to  the  Christian  Church  at  Lexington  at  this 
time  was  Thomas  Smith,  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary 
abilities  and  attainments,  and  long  associated  with  the 
movement  of  B.  W.  Stone.  He  was  an  excellent  preacher 
and  was  considered  a  skillful  debater.  He  possessed 
withal  a  very  amiable  disposition,  and  was  highly  es- 
teemed by  Mr.  Campbell,  whom  he  often  accompanied 
during  his  visits  in  Kentucky.  He  was  at  first,  like 
others,  apprehensive  that  the  proposed  union  was  pre- 
mature, and  that  disagreement  might  arise  in  regard  to 
questions  of  church  order.  The  union  was  therefore 
postponed,  and  matters  remained  for  a  short  time  sta- 
tionary, but  it  soon  became  generally  apparent  to  the 
Christian  brethren  that  there  were  no  exclusive  privi- 
leges belonging  to  preachers  as  it  concerned  the  admin- 
istration of  ordinances,  and  Thomas  M.  Allen  coming  to 
Lexington,  induced  them  to  complete  the  union  and  to 
transfer  to  the  new  congregation,  thus  formed  under  the 
tide  of  *'the  Church  of  Christ,"  the  comfortable  meet- 
ing-house which  they  had  previously  held  under  the 
designation  of  "  the  Christian  Church/*  This  wise 
measure  secured  entire  unanimity,  and  was  especially 
gratifying  to  the  Reformers,  who  had  been  meeting  in  a 


J 


FRANCIS  AND  HENRY  PALMER.  385 

Hinted  building.  At  Paris,  also,  Mr.  Allen  succeeded 
in  effecting  a  union  between  the  two  churches,  for 
one  of  which  he  had  been  himself  preaching,  while 
James  Challen  at  this  time  ministered  to  the  other.  He 
proposed  that  both  he  and  Mr.  Challen  should  retire, 
and  that  the  united  churches  should  engage  permanently 
the  services  of  Aylett  Raines.  This  was  accordingly 
done,  and  Mr.  Raines,  leaving  his  field  in  Ohio,  from 
this  time  continued  to  preach  for  the  church  at  Paris,  as 
well  as  for  other  churches  in  Kentucky,  for  more  than 
twenty  years,  aiding  besides  in  numerous  protracted 
meetings,  and  by  his  steady,  unremitting  labors  and 
able  advocacy  of  the  Reformation  principles  greatly 
extending  their  influence. 

In  this  connection  it  is  proper  to  mention  F.  R.  Palmer, 
who  had  been  for  some  time  preaching  at  Caneridge. 
He  was  a  warm  friend  of  Mr.  Campbell,  and  often  with 
him  during  his  visits  in  Kentucky.  He  had  been  edu- 
cated by  B.  W.  Stone,  and  was  a  man  of  superior 
abilities,  a  fine  preacher  and  entirely  friendly  to  the 
union,  as  was  also  his  brother,  Henry  D.  Palmer ;  and 
their  history  serves  still  further  to  illustrate  the  suffi- 
ciency of  the  Bible  as  the  source  of  religious  light  and 
the  basis  of  Christian  union.  Called  providentially  in 
the  midst  of  an  irreligious  community  in  South-west 
Tennessee  to  the  study  of  the  Scriptures,  they  soon  dis- 
covered how  different  were  modern  churches  from 
the  models  given  in  the  New  Testament.  Both  were 
men  of  fine  personal  appearance,  strongly  resembling 
Henry  Clay,  not  only  in  form  and  features,  but  also  in 
gifts  of  oratory.  Devoting  themselves  to  the  spread  of 
the  simple  truths  they  learned  from  the  book  of  God, 
they  traversed  the  entire  region  west  out  to  the  Missis- 
sippi river,  accomplishing  great  good.     Subsequently 

TOL.  II. — Z  33 


386         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

Francis  came  into  Kentucky,  and  Henry,  bringing  his 
slaves  to  Illinois,  freed  them  there  and  distributed  among 
them  a  large  portion  of  his  estate.  Finally  settling  in 
this  State,  he  continued  his  labors  in  the  gospel  with 
extraordinary  success  until  the  close  of  life,  greatly  en- 
deared by  his  labors  and  sacrifices  and  noble  Christian 
character  to  the  entire  community.  He  had  remarkably 
correct  views  of  the  gospel,  great  faith  in  God  and  in 
Providence,  praying  always  for  everything,  and  urging 
the  necessity  of  a  new  and  of  a  divine  life,  of  spiritual- 
mindedness,  of  entire  devotion  to  God  and  of  the  pres- 
ence and  aids  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  In  church  discipline 
also  he  desired  to  see  a  strict  enforcement  of  the  Scrip- 
ture precepts  and  a  prompt  separation  of  those  who 
walked  unworthily.  Removing  finally  to  Eureka,  in 
Woodford  county,  he  died  in  September,  1861.  His 
brother  Francis,  emigrating  to  Missouri  in  1836,  has 
labored  most  successfully  in  that  State,  and  still  preaches 
as  well  as  ever,  though  eighty  years  of  age,  having 
been  for  more  than  half  a  century  engaged  in  the 
ministry. 

The  union  of  the  churches  in  Georgetown,  Lexington 
and  Paris  led  at  once  to  the  union  of  the  Christians  and 
Reformers  throughout  the  State.  This  was  greatly  pro- 
moted by  the  eflbrts  of  John  Smith  and  John  Rogers, 
who  had  been  appointed  at  the  Lexington  meeting  to 
visit  all  the  churches  and  hold  meetings  in  conjunction 
wath  each  other,  and  who  were  most  successful  in  re- 
moving any  lingering  doubts  or  prejudices — a  result  to 
which  Elder  Stone's  earnest  and  intelligent  advocacy  of 
the  movement  greatly  contributed.  Thus,  as  the  latter 
had  foreseen.  Christian  love  resolved,  by  simple  and 
direct  methods,  diflferences  and  difficulties  which  would 
probably  have  been  only  augmented  by  any  system  of 


EFFECTS   OF  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  387 

church  representation  or  any  formal  general  convention, 
and  Mr.  Campbell  rejoiced  in  an  issue  which  he  greatly 
desired  to  see  accomplished,  but  which  he,  for  a  time, 
feared  was  prematurely  effected.  He  thought  sufficient 
time  had  not  perhaps  been  allowed  for  a  thorough  com- 
prehension of  the  principles  of  the  Reformation,  and 
dreaded  lest  these  should  in  any  wise  be  overruled  or 
lost  sight  of  in  so  sudden  and  unceremonious  an  ar- 
rangement. His  misgivings,  however,  proved  to  be 
entirely  groundless.  Everywhere  throughout  the  united 
churches  these  cherished  principles  were  found  to  be 
sincerely  approved  and  carried  into  effect.  Untaught 
questions  were  no  longer  debated  ;  baptism  for  remission 
of  sins,  w^hich  had  been  adopted  by  many  of  the  Chris- 
tian brethren  before  the  imion,  was  universally  prac- 
ticed ;  weekly  communion  was  generally  adopted,  and 
stricter  rules  recognized  in  relation  to  church  order  and 
discipline.  All  were  united  upon  the  Bible  alone,  and 
with  the  most  fraternal  feelings  strove  together  for  the 
faith  and  institutions  of  the  gospel.  Nor  was  the  effect 
less  striking  as  respects  the  community  without.  Never 
before  had  the  word  of  God  manifested  so  much  power 
in  the  conversion  of  sinners.  Never  before  were  meet- 
ings so  successful  in  bringing  the  people  to  an  intelli- 
gent and  scriptural .  profession  of  Christ.  Multitudes 
were  added  to  the  churches  throughout  the  State,  and  an 
impetus  was  given  to  the  cause  by  the  union  of  the  two 
people,  which  served  to  illustrate  the  overwhelming 
power  which  the  gospel  would  exert  upon  the  world  if, 
in  like  manner,  all  the  sad  divisions  of  Protestants  could 
be  healed.  The  sectarians  of  Kentucky,  who  had  fore- 
told a  speedy  disruption  of  the  union,  were  surprised  to 
find  their  vaticinations  unfulfilled,  and  not  less  grieved 
at  the  inroads  continually  making  upon  their  own  power, 


388        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

which,  from  this  period,  steadily  and  rapidly  declined, 
until  the  Reformers  became  by  far  the  most  numerous 
and  influential  body  in  the  State. 

Mr.  Campbell,  himself,  previous  to  the  union,  was 
not  fully  aware  to  what  extent  the  principles  advocated 
in  the  "Christian  Baptist"  had  been  diffused  in  Ken- 
tucky. Many  of  the  Christian  preachers,  indeed,  were 
already  fully  satisfied  of  their  correctness,  and  some, 
as  has  been  seen,  had  openly  adopted  them  even  before 
B.  W.  Stone  had  fully  yielded  his  assent.  To  those  of 
this  class,  already  mentioned,  may  be  added  B.  F. 
Hall,  who,  in  1826,  on  returning  to  Kentucky  from 
some  meetings  in  Tennessee,  where  many  **  mourners'* 
were  left  uncomforted,  and  during  which  he  had  be- 
come greatly  impressed  with  the  conviction  that  the 
modern  administration  of  the  gospel  must  differ  greatly 
from  that  in  use  in  primitive  times,  happened  at  the 
house  of  a  friend  to  meet  with  the  McCalla  debate. 
Turning  the  leaves  slowly  over,  his  eye  caught  Mr. 
Campbell's  remarks  on  the  design  of  baptism.  Read- 
ing it  carefully,  he  had  scarcely  finished,  when  he 
sprang  to  his  feet  and  clapping  his  hands,  cried  out, 
"  I  have  found  it  1  I  have  found  it !" 

"  I  gave  thanks  to  God,"  he  said  in  speaking  of  the  inci- 
dent, "  I  had  found  the  keystone  of  the  arch.  It  had  been 
lost  a  long  time.  I  had  never  seen  it  before — strange  that  I 
had  not !  But  I  had  seen  the  vacant  space  in  the  arch  a  hun- 
dred times,  and  had  some  idea  of  the  size  and  shape  of  it, 
and  when  I  saw  baptism  as  Mr.  Campbell  had  presented  it, 
I  knew  it  would  exactly  fit  and  fill  the  space.  I  felt  as  if 
converted  anew,  and  was  far  happier  than  when  I  first  made 
profession,  and  far  more  certain  that  I  was  right.  Now  all 
was  light  around  me,  and  I  felt  that  I  was  standing  on  a 
rock. 

'*  In  the  summer  of  1826,"  he  continues,  "  I  met  B.  W. 


VISIT  TO  RICHMOND,  389 

Stone  and  spoke  of  the  matter  to  him.  He  told  me  that  he 
had  preached  it  early  in  the  present  century,  and  that  it  was 
like  ice-water  thrown  on  the  audience ;  it  chilled  them,  and 
he  had  in  consequence  abandoned  it  altogether.  I  insisted  it 
was  God's  truth,  nevertheless,  and  that  I  felt  compelled  to 
preach  it  at  the  meeting  to  which  we  were  then  going.  He 
begged  that  I  would  not  preach  it  while  he  was  present,  and 
said  he  was  to  leave  after  meeting  on  Lord's  day  morning, 
and  then  I  could  do  as  I  thought  proper.  I  comjjlied  with 
his  request,  but  preached  it  privately  to  those  who  appeared 
concerned,  and  five  of  them  were  induced  to  take  the  Lord  at 
his  word,  whom  I  immersed  the  next  morning  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins.  Our  venerable  Samuel  Rogers  was  present  at 
that  meeting,  and  was  the  only  preacher  who  did  not  oppose 
the  doctrine." 

Some  time  after  the  union  was  accomplished  in  Ken- 
tucky, Mr.  Campbell  paid  a  visit  to  the  East,  accom- 
panied as  far  as  Richmond  by  his  father,  who  designed 
to  make  a  tour  through  North  Carolina  and  to  dissemi- 
nate there  the  principles  of  the  Reformation.  He  was 
attended  also  by  his  daughters  Maria  and  Eliza,  the 
former  of  whom,  in  January  preceding,  had  been  mar- 
ried to  R.  Y.  Henley,  and  who,  with  her  husband,  was 
now  on  a  visit  to  East  Virginia.  B.  F.  Hall,  also,  who 
had  arrived  at  Bethany  shortly  before,  continued  with 
Mr.  Campbell  during  the  most  of  his  tour.  Preaching 
at  Fredericksburg,  Bowling  Green  and  other  points,  he 
arrived  at  Richmond  about  the  24th  of  October,  and 
addressed  the  citizens  in  the  new  meeting-house,  called 
*'  Sycamore"  from  the  tree  which  shades  its  doors.  The 
meeting  being  continued  for  some  days  by  Mr.  Camp- 
bell and  others,  among  whom  was  D.  S.  Burnet  who 
had  been  for  some  weeks  in  East  Virginia,  some  twenty- 
five  persons  were  added  to  the  church.  Mr.  Campbell 
preached  also  at  several  points  in  the  vicinity  of  Rich- 

83* 


390         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

mond,  and  finally  passing  down  to  Jamestown,  York- 
town  and  Norfolk,  took  passage  in  the  "  Columbus" 
for  Baltimore,  where  several  meetings  were  held  with 
great  benefit  to  the  cause. 

Proceeding  thence  direct  to  New  York,  he  found  the 
Church  there  divided  into  several  parts,  owing  to  ex- 
treme views  in  regard  to  church  order  and  unanimity 
of  opinion.  His  labors  were  therefore  chiefly  directed 
to  the  restoration  of  unity  and  the  correction  of  existing 
errors  among  the  brethren,  and  were,  to  a  considerable 
extent,  successful  in  preparing  the  way  for  a  reunion, 
which  happily  occurred  in  March,  1835.  While  here, 
he  addressed  the  numerous  skeptics  of  the  city  at  Tam- 
many Hall  and  Concert  Hall  on  several  occasions,  ob- 
taining a  very  respectful  hearing  and  making  a  pro- 
found impression.  At  the  close,  Mr.  OflTen,  in  behalf 
of  one  of  their  societies,  presented  him  with  the  fol- 
lowing thank-offering : 

"  Sir  :  The  trustees  and  members  of  the  society  of  Moral 
Philanthropists  (of  which  I  am  also  a  member)  have  de- 
puted me  to  present  to  you  their  thanks  for  your  friendly  visit 
to  Tammany  Hall,  being  highly  pleased  with  the  splendid 
talents  they  have  witnessed,  connected  widi  erudition  the  most 
profound,  which'  has  both  delighted  their  ears  and  conferred 
dignity  upon  their  hall.  The  friendly  sentiments  you  have 
also  expressed  toward  skeptics,  appealing  to  them  as  men — 
as  honest  men — instead  of  treating  them  with  contumely,  as 
do  the  Christian  priesthood  of  New  York,  are  specially  noted. 
These  kind  feelings,  sir,  they  duly  appreciate,  and  to  them 
they  heartily  respond.  As  it  respects  some  of  the  evidences 
of  the  Christian  religion,  you  have  candidly  and  ably  stated 
them.  Should  a  change  take  place  in  our  views  on  that 
subject,  be  assured  it  will  be  honestly  and  publicly  avowed. 

"  In  the  event  you   should  again  visit  New  York,  you  will 
be  to  us  always  a  welcome  guest.     Permit  me,  sir,  to  tender 


EXCLUSION  OF  PAUL,  391 

to  you  their  best  wishes  for  your  health  and  prosperity,  and 
be  pleased  to  accept  the  full  assurance  of  their  high  esteem." 

During  his  stay  at  New  York,  he  delivered  several 
discourses  in  the  Laurence  Street  *  Church,  where  Dr. 
Barker  presided,  and  in  Union  Chapel,  where  ten  per- 
sons came  forward  for  baptism,  two  of  whom  had  been 
skeptics.  On  one  occasion  in  passing  up  Broadway  he 
was  struck  with  a  statue  placed  in  a  niche  in  the  front 
of  St.  Paul's  Church,  and  in  his  characteristic  vein  of 
humorous  satire  made  it  the  subject  of  a  short  article 
in  the  "Harbinger,"  headed  ^^ Turning  out  the  Apos- 
tles^"^  in  which  he  says : 

''  Ofie  of  the  most  appropriate  designings  in  the  various 
models  of  architecture  in  the  church-building  department  in 
the  city  of  New  York  is  to  be  seen  at  St.  Paul's  Church, 
Broadway.  Whether  by  accident  or  design  in  the  plan  of 
the  chief  architect,  one  thing  is  certain,  he  has  most  symboli- 
cally, graphically  and  emphatically  pictured  out  the  truth. 
On  the  outside  of  the  church,  in  a  very  substantial  and  plain 
niche,  facing  the  great  thoroughfare,  there  stands  in  marble 
the  Great  Apostle.  He  seems  greatly  oflended  at  being  turned 
out  of  doors ;  has  his  parchments  under  his  arm  and  his  staff 
in  his  hand,  as  if  hasting  out  of  the  walls  of  the  cathedral. 
The  little  old  man  appears  careworn  and  vexed  with  what  he 
has  seen  within,  and  seems  to  cast  an  eye  to  heaven,  welcom- 
ing the  peltings  of  the  storm  rather  than  the  mummery 
and  the  mockery  of  the  blind  adoration  and  insulting  homage 
of  wood  and  stone — instead  of  the  religious  obedience  of  man 
and  woman  to  the  Master  through  the  traditions  which  he 
was  commanded  to  deliver  to  the  Church  of  Christ.  The 
apostles,  indeed,  are  turned  out  of  all  the  fashionable  churches 
in  all  the  Atlantic  cities,  as  far  as  we  are  able  to  judge.  They 
are  not  only  exiled  from  the  great  cathedrals  with  crosses 
and  cowls,  from  the  St.  Pauls',  the  St.  Peters',  the  St.  Johns' 
and  the  Christs'  churches  of  English  and  Roman  Episcopacy, 
but  from  the  religious  theatres  of  all  the  daughters  of  the  Scarlet 


392         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

Lady.  Thousands  of  dollars  are  squandered  in  all  the  pomp 
and  pageantry  of  the  pride  of  life  to  beautify  and  adorn 
masses  of  brick  and  stone,  rather  than  to  cover  the  nakedness 
and  to  feed  and  educate  the  inmates  of  the  ^  sordid  huts  of 
cheerless  poverty.'  Pulpits  built  of  mahogany,  cushioned 
and  crimsoned  in  all  the  gorgeousness  of  unblushing  pride, 
like  inner  temples,  costing  from  two  to  three  thousand  dollars, 
environ  the  object  of  their  adoration — encircle  the  golden 
altar  on  which  they  present  their  weekly  oblations  to  that  god 
who  delights  in  a  splendid  house,  in  the  ornaments  of  crim- 
son and  scarlet,  in  gold  and  silver,  in  the  melodies  of  organs 
and  the  sound  of  unbelieving  and  unsanctified  choristers,  more 
than  in  the  incense  of  a  grateful  heart." 

During  this  period  Mr.  Campbell  had  himself  many 
practical  illustrations,  not  only  of  the  unpopularity  of 
the  apostles  but  of  those  who  in  their  name  sought  to 
reform  religious  society.  These  were  exhibited  not 
only  in  the  usual  form  of  detraction  and  misrepresenta- 
tion, but  in  the  absolute  refusal  by  the  religious  parties 
to  admit  him  to  speak  in  their  houses  of  worship.  In 
New  York  he  was  refused  all  the  Baptist  meeting- 
houses. Even  Archibald  McClay,  formerly  one  of  his 
warmest  friends,  denied  him  the  use  of  his  house,  be- 
cause, as  he  said,  "he  was  not  in  full  fellowship  with 
the  Baptists."  At  Philadelphia,  which  he  next  visited, 
he  experienced  similar  treatment.  Mr.  Chambers,  who 
with  his  Presbyterian  congregation  had,  as  formerly 
stated,  rejected  creeds  some  years  before,  assured  Mr. 
Campbell  of  his  sincere  wish  that  he  should  occupy 
his  pulpit,  but  through  the  influence  of  the  Baptists,  as 
was  supposed,  his  elders  refused  assent.  He  spoke, 
therefore,  in  a  house  courteously  tendered  by  the  Uni- 
versalists,  as  well  as  in  the  Callowhill  street  meeting- 
house, where  during  his  stay  some  sixteen  persons 
were  added  to  the  disciples   meeting  in  Bank  street, 


WILLIAM,  BALLANTINE.  393 

under  the  care  of  William  Ballantine.  This  excellent 
man,  formerly  in  charge  of  one  of  Robert  Haldane's 
seminaries  at  Elgin,  and  whose  essay  on  the  elder's 
office  had  occasioned  so  much  division  in  the  Haldanean 
churches  on  the  subject  of  church  order,  was  now 
engaged  at  Philadelphia  in  teaching  classes  in  Greek 
and  Hebrew.  Like  many  of  his  coadjutors  in  Scot- 
land, he  had  been  opposed  to  immersion,  and  had  even 
written  a  work  in  favor  of  infant  sprinkling,  which,  as 
elsewhere  stated,  falling  into  the  hands  of  Robert  Tener 
of  Dungannon,  had  for  a  time  deterred  him  from  being 
immersed  according  to  his  previous  intentions.  Mr. 
Ballantine  afterward,  however,  became  enlightened  on 
the  subject  and  was  himself  immersed,  so  that  when 
Robert  Tener,  in  1833,  emigrated  to  the  United  States, 
the  first  person  who  arrested  his  attention  upon  landing 
at  Baltimore  and  uniting  with  the  church  there,  was 
William  Ballantine,  then  a  prominent  member  of  the 
congregation.  Mr.  Campbell,  after  leaving  Philadel- 
phia, preached  three  times  at  Baltimore,  also  at  other 
points  in  Maryland,  reaching  home  after  an  absence 
of  upward  of  three  months,  during  which  he  had 
traveled  seventeen  hundred  miles  and  delivered  about 
eighty  discourses.  Much  good  had  been  accomplished, 
and  about  seventy  persons  in  all  added  to  the  churches 
during  his  tour.  Soon  after,  D.  S.  Burnet,  calling  at 
Baltimore  on  his  way  to  Cincinnati,  held  some  meet- 
ings, during  which  the  church  received  an  addition  of 
fifty  new  members.  Everywhere,  Mr.  Campbell  had 
left  scriptural  truths  so  deeply  implanted  in  the  minds 
of  the  people  that  the  fruits  could  be  gathered  long 
after  his  departure.  After  some  time,  William  Ballan- 
tine yisited  Bethany,  and  Mr.  Campbell  published  for 
him  an  edition  of  his  essay  on  the  elder's  office,  which 


394         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

was  well  received  by  the  churches.  The  questions, 
however,  of  which  it  treated  had  been  long  since  con- 
sidered and  determined  among  them,  and  the  scriptural 
truths  it  urged  in  relation  to  elders  had  been  already 
embraced  in  the  *'  ancient  order  of  things." 

On  January  24th  of  this  year  (1834)  another  daughter 
was  born  to  Mr.  Campbell,  and  named  Virginia.  On 
the  24th  of  June  following  his  eldest  daughter,  Jane 
Caroline,  died  of  consumption.  During  the  preceding 
winter  she  had  removed  from  Nashville,  Tennessee, 
with  her  husband,  Albert  G.  Ewing,  and  her  three 
children,  to  reside  near  Bethany,  but  a  severe  cold 
contracted  during  the  journey  at  once  awakened  into 
activity  the  pulmonary  disease  inherent  in  the  family, 
which  proved  rapidly  fatal.  Amiable  in  her  disposition 
and  patient  in  suflering,  she  calmly  resigned  herself 
in  the  midst  of  happiness  and  youth  into  the  hands  of 
the  Redeemer  in  whom  she  had  put  her  trust,  and  died 
in  the  hope  of  a  blissful  immortality. 

Continuing  unremittingly  his  editorial  and  other 
labors,  Mr.  Campbell  not  only  maintained  his  positions 
against  all  assailants,  and  made  successful  raids  into  the 
territories  of  his  opponents,  but  cultivated  with  assiduity 
the  wide  domain  already  possessed.  James  G.  Bell, 
an  intelligent,  zealous  and  amiable  disciple,  who  some 
years  before  had  been  an  inmate  of  his  family,  had  left 
by  his  will  a  small  sum  to  be  expended  in  essays  on  the 
Patriarchal,  Jewish  and  Christian  dispensations,  in  pur- 
suance of  which  Mr.  Campbell  this  year  printed  for 
distribution  an  extra  embracing  these  subjects,  but  par- 
ticularly expounding  the  nature  and  elements  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  In  this  he  adopted  and  pre- 
sented an  analysis  given  by  Dr.  Richardson  three 
months  before  in  the  '*  Evangelist,"  a  periodical  which 


CHURCH  GOVERNMENT.  395 

Walter  Scott  had  established  at  Carthage,  Ohio.  Pre- 
viously, the  phrase  *'  kingdom  of  heaven'*  had  been  sup- 
posed to  signify  the  Churchy  and  in  consequence  of  this 
error  various  false  interpretations  had  been  given  to 
portions  of  Scripture.  It  was  shown  that  the  idea  in- 
volved in  *'  kingdom"  was  a  compound  one,  embracing 
at  least  three  distinct  conceptions — viz.,  a  king^  subjects^ 
and  the  territory  or  place  where  the  subjects  lived 
under  the  government  of  their  king.  In  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  Jesus  was  the  king^  those  who  had  acknow- 
ledged him  were  the  subjects^  and  the  world  {xoatio::) 
in  which  they  lived  was  the  territory.  This  view  both 
Mr.  Campbell  and  Mr.  Scott  regarded  as  an  important 
addition  to  the  truths  developed  during  the  progress 
of  the  Reformation,  as  it  served  to  elacidate  various 
portions  of  Scripture,  and  to  correct  false  and  mis- 
chievous applications  of  the  teachings  of  Christ,  as 
especially  exemplified  in  the  parable  of  the  tares 
(Matt.  xiii.). 

Much  attention  was  at  this  time  given  to  subjects  of 
church  order  and  discipline  arising  from  the  peculiar  con- 
dition of  the  churches.  The  union  between  the  Re- 
formers and  the  *'  Christian"  brethren  in  Kentucky  had 
extended  itself  through  most  of  the  Western  States,  and 
immense  numbers  of  new  converts  had  everywhere 
been  added  to  the  churches,  which  were,  as  yet,  but 
imperfectly  supplied  with  elders,  and  but  partially  ac- 
quainted with  the  rules  and  principles  of  church  gov- 
ernment. B.  W.  Stone,  removing  to  Jacksonville,  Il- 
linois, established  there  his  periodical,  and  by  his  per- 
sonal labors  and  those  of  his  coadjutors  greatly  extended 
tTie  spread  of  the  gospel  in  the  West.  J.  T.  Johnson,  in 
connection  with  B.  F.  Hall,  started  a  periodical  in  Ken- 
tucky, where  the  formei   continued  to  labor  with  such 


396        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

indefatigable  industry  and  success  that  he  became 
known  as  '*  the  Evangelist  of  Kentucky,"  and  every- 
where imparted  strength  to  the  churches  by  his  unfail- 
ing faith  and  courage. 

Meanwhile,  a   young  member,  P.  C.  Wyeth,  from 
near  Bethany,  going  to  England,  united  in  London  with 
the  Scotch  Baptist  church  there,  over  which  William 
Jones,  author  of  various  works  on  Ecclesiastical  History 
and  former  co-pastor  with  William  Ballantine,  presided. 
Mr.  Jones,  much  surprised  to  hear   from   Mr.  Wyeth 
the  particulars  of  so  extended  a  reformatory  movement 
in  America,  and  conceiving  that  in  its  general  features 
it  agreed  with  that  attempted  by  Archibald  McClean 
and  the  Scotch   Baptist   churches,  at  once  opened    a 
communicatioirwith  Mr.  Campbell  and  obtained  some 
of  his  works,  with  which  he  was  so  much  pleased  that 
he  determined  to  reproduce  them  in  England  in  a  peri- 
odical which  he  entitled  "  The  British  Millennial  Har- 
binger."    Thus  the  views  of  Mr.  Campbell  obtained 
favorable  access  to  the  minds  of  a  community,  them- 
selves professing  a  desire   to  return   to  the    primitive 
faith  and  practice,  and  numbering  some  thirty  churches 
in  Great  Britain,  many  of  which,  however,  were  small, 
the  one  in  London  consisting  of  only  thirty  members, 
under  the  pastoral  care  of  Elders  Jones  and   Nixon. 
Elder  Jones'  letters  to  Mr.  Campbell  and  the  replies 
occupied  considerable  space  in  their  respective  Har- 
bingers, until   at  the  end  of  sixteen    months  William 
Jones   suspended   his  publication,  alleging  increasing 
age  and  his  desire  to  prepare  for  the  press  a  volume  of 
sermons.     Subsequently,  he  thought  fit  to  express  pub- 
licly his  dissent  from  some  views  which  he  erroneously 
attributed  to  Mr.  Campbell,  but  this  sudden  turn  was 
without  avail  to  check  the  progress  of  free  opinion,  and 


JAMES    WALLIS.  397 

the  republication  of  Mr.  Campbell's  writings  was  shortly 
after  resumed  by  the  congregation  of  disciples  meeting 
at  Nottingham,  in  a  periodical  called  the  "Christian 
Messenger,  or  a  Voice  from  America,"  edited  by  J. 
Wallis,  a  devoted  Christian  and  friend  of  Reformation, 
who  for  a  number  of  years,  with  marked  ability  and 
prudence,  continued  to  promote  the  interests  of  the 
cause  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  which  thus  received 
in  return  the  fruitage  of  those  germs  of  independent 
thought  and  religious  truth  which,  within  those  realms, 
had  been  long  before  implanted  in  the  yputhful  mind 
of  Alexander  Campbell. 

34 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Sectarian  hostility — Tour  to  Nashville — Bishop  Otey— Discussion  with  Mr. 

Meredith — Tour  to  the  Eastern  States. 

THE  separation  of  the  Reformers  from  the  Baptists, 
instead  of  lessening,  had  at  first  only  increased, 
sectarian  hostility.  At  no  former  period  had  so  great 
rancor  been  manifested  toward  Mr.  Campbell  or  more 
strenuous  efforts  made  to  injure  his  reputation  and  excite 
the  animosity  of  the  religious  world  against  him.  Al- 
thpugh  the  Reformers  had  been  quite  willing  to  frater- 
nize with  the  Baptists,  and  in  no  case  where  they  had 
the  majority  in  a  church  had  excluded  them,  the  attempt 
was  made  to  throw  upon  Mr.  Campbell  the  odium  of  a 
separation  which  the  Baptists  themselves  had  effected, 
and  to  excite  the  sympathy  of  other  religious  parties,  so 
as  to  induce  them  to  refuse  him  the  use  of  their  houses 
of  worship  upon  his  tours,  by  representing  him  as  having 
no  higher  object  than  to  divide  the  Baptists.  Blinded 
by  their  attachment  to  denominational  theories  and  in- 
terests, they  were  unable  to  perceive  the  noble  purposes 
for  which  Mr.  Campbell  labored,  or  to  appreciate  en- 
larged and  synthetic  principles  which,  from  the  na- 
ture of  the  case,  can  belong  to  no  religious  sect.  From 
the  more  elevated  region  of  religious  thought  which 
Mr.  Campbell  occupied,  he  could  well  look  down  with 
pity  upon  all  the  vain  attempts  which  were  at  this  time 
made  to  arrest  the  progress  of  his  plea  for  the  restoration 

30S 


TOUR   TO  NASHVILLE,  399 

of  the  primitive  gospel  and  the  original  unity  of  the 
Church.  Knowing  that  a  little  time  would  correct  un- 
just representations,  and  that  the  means  employed  to 
prevent  the  people  from  hearing  him  would  only  the 
more  excite  their  curiositv  to  hear,  he  continued  with 
unabated  zeal  to  expose  the  errors  and  evils  of  sec- 
tarianism and  to  exhibit  the  excellency  of  the  simple 
scriptural  plan  of  salvation.  Nor  was  he  disappointed 
in  his  expectations.  It  was  not  long  until  a  calmer  state 
of  mind  supervened,  and  many  were  led  to  discover  that 
they  had  been  mistaken  in  regard  to  Mr.  Campbell's 
views  and  purposes.  The  Reformers,  in  consequence, 
began  to  receive  frequent  accessions  from  the  Baptist 
churches  in  various  places,  and  the  community  became 
more  and  more  enlightened  as  to  the  real  nature  of  the 
reform  proposed. 

During  this  period  many  important  practical  subjects 
were  treated  by  him  in  the  **  Harbinger"  very  interest- 
ingly in  a  series  of  dialogues,  entitled  "Conversations  in 
Father  Goodall's  Family  Circle,"  which  were  continued 
for  several  years  and  were  much  admired,  communicat- 
ing a  large  amount  of  varied  and  valuable  instruction 
derived  from  the  Scriptures  and  from  the  experience  of 
human  life.  He  published  also  several  severe  articles 
upon  Roman  Catholicism,  to  which  he  began  now  to 
pay  considerable  attention,  having  been  long  satisfied 
that  it  was  its  purpose  to  secure  the  political  control  of 
the  United  States.  In  occasional  essays,  too,  upon  edu- 
cation, he  continued  to  manifest  the  great  interest  he 
felt  in  this  important  subject. 

In  February,  1835,  ^^  company  with  his  daughter 
Lavinia,  he  made  another  tour  to  Nashville,  and  spent 
several  weeks  in  Tennessee  in  disabusing  the  public 
mind  of  the  false  impressions  made  upon  it  by  the  mis- 


400        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

representations  of  his  opponents.  Great  crowds  every- 
where flocked  to  hear  him,  so  that  it  was  seldom  any 
house  could  be  found  large  enough  to  accommodate 
them.  While  he  was  in  Nashville  some  twenty  persons 
were  added  to  the  church  there,  which  now  numbered 
about  six  hundred.  He  found  several  new  churches  in 
the  vicinity,  established  through  the  influence  and  labors 
of  a  Brother  Hardin",  of  whose  piety  and  devotion  he 
entertainied  a  high  opinion.  On  the  30lh  of  March,  ac- 
companied by  T.  Fanning,  he  set  out  for  Louisville, 
where  a  Brother  Gates  had  been  for  some  time  laboring. 
The  church  there,  however,  had  not  made  much  pro- 
gress, having  the  use  of  the  house  of  worship  only  a  por- 
tion of  the  time.  Recently  they  had  sold  out  their  interest 
in  it  to  the  Baptists  and  purchased  a  Methodist  meeting- 
house,  where,  with  the  able  assistance  of  the  eminent 
Dr.  T.  S.  Bell,  who  spoke  for  them  as  often  as  his  pro- 
fessional engagements  would  permit,  their  prospects 
were  more  favorable.  Here  Mr.  Campbell  delivered 
several  discourses  and  afterward  visited  New  Albany, 
Jeffersonville  and  Madison,  in  Indiana,  and  spent  some 
days  at  Cincinnati,  where  the  church  was  progressing 
under  the  labors  of  D.  S.  Burnet.  He  also  visited 
Carthage,  where  Walter  Scott  and  Dr.  Richardson  then 
resided.  After  enjoying  a  pleasant  interview  with  these 
and  other  old  friends,  he  passed  thence  again  into  Ken- 
tucky and  traversed  the  whole  central  part  of  the  State, 
having  appointments  at  all  the  principal  points,  and  re- 
newing his  happy  personal  intercourse  with  a  great 
number  of  his  former  acquaintances  and  fellow-laborers. 
From  Georgetown  he  repaired,  in  company  w^ith  the 
Hon.  Richard  M.  Johnson,  to  his  residence,  eight  miles 
distant,  where,  in  the  evening,  he  addressed  the  Choc- 
taw Indians  of  the  Indian  Academy.     At  Lexington  he 


BISHOP  OTBY.  401 

spoke  twice  in  the  hall  of  Transylvania  University  to 
large  audiences,  and  then,  setting  out  with  B.  H.  Payne 
in  his  gig,  he  visited  Paris  and  Mount  Sterling,  and 
proceeded  to  Mayslick,  where  he  held  a  two-days'  meet- 
ing, aided  by  Brothers  Gates  and  Hall.  As  he  w^as 
much  exhausted  by  fifty  days'  continual  speaking,  he 
felt  quite  indebted  to  these  brethren  and  to  Aylett  Raines 
for  the  effective  assistance  which  they  rendered  him  at 
various  points  in  Northern  Kentucky.  At  Mayslick  he 
met  with  John  O'Kane,  who,  some  time  before,  had  dis- 
tinguished himself  by  his  successful  labors  in  Indiana, 
and  had  been  recently  preaching  in  Masqn  county, 
Kentucky.  This  individual  continued  for  many  years 
to  sustain  ably  the  cause  of  the  Reformation  in  the 
Western  States,  and  especially  in  Indiana.  Of  a  tall 
and  commanding  figure,  having  a  powerful  voice,  great 
earnestness  and  considerable  ability,  he  became  the 
means  of  adding  great  numbers  to  the  churches.  From 
Maysville,  where  he  spoke  three  or  four  times,  Mr. 
Campbell  returned  directly  home,  where  he  arrived 
May  loth,  having  been  instrumental  in  inducing  forty- 
five  persons  to  embrace  the  gospel  during  his  tour,  be- 
sides removing  much  prejudice  and  in  many  ways  pro- 
moting the  interests  of  the  cause. 

During  his  absence,  his  mother,  who  still  resided  with 
her  daughter  near  West  Middletown,  Pennsylvania, 
ended  her  days  in  great  peace  and  with  unshaken  con- 
fidence in  the  promises  of  her  Redeemer.  Of  her  last 
hours,  Thomas  Campbell,  who  was  present  with  her, 
gives  an  interesting  account  in  a  letter  to  his  daughter 
Alicia,  published  in  the  *'  Harbinger"  for  1835,  P*  284, 
in  which  also  he  pays  a  touching  tribute  to  her  many 
virtues. 

During  Mr.  Campbell's  visit  to  Tennessee  he  had 

TOL.  II.— 2  A  3«4  *        . 


402         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

spent,  by  invitation,  the  evening  of  i8th  March  very 
pleasantly  with  James  Otey,  bishop  of  Tennessee,  at 
his  hospitable  mansion.  During  their  pleasant  conver- 
sation upon  various  topics,  the  bishop  introduced  the 
subject  of  the  Christian  priesthood  in  its  relations  to  the 
Christian  ministry.  At  parting  he  presented  Mr.  Camp- 
bell with  a  copy  of  a  work  by  Bishop  Onderdonk  of 
Pennsylvania,  entitled  "Episcopacy  tested  by  Scrip- 
ture." Having  the  subject  thus  brought  to  his  atten- 
tion, he  addressed  afterward  a  series  of  eight  letters  to 
Bishop  Otey,  discussing  the  subject  in  the  most  cour- 
teous manner,  and  ably  pointing  out  the  fallacies  in 
Bishop  Onderdonk's  reasoning,  as  well  as  in  the  works 
of  J.  Esten  Cook  of  Lexington,  and  of  Chapman,  who 
had  written  in  defence  of  Episcopal  ordination.  These 
cogent  and  argumentative  letters  attracted  much  atten- 
tion, especially  in  Tennessee ;  and  though  Mr.  Camp- 
bell courteously  proposed  to  lay  before  his  readers  any- 
thing which  Bishop  Otey  might  feel  disposed  to  say,  no 
attempt  was  ever  made  to  reply  to  them.  About  the 
same  tim^  he  became  engaged  in  a  discussion  with  Mr. 
Meredith,  of  North  Carolina,  editor  of  the  ''Baptist 
Interpreter,"  and  subsequently  of  the  ''Biblical  Re- 
corder," whom  he  justly  designated  as  "one  of  the 
most  respectable  and  honorable  of  the  Baptist  ministers 
in  the  South,  a  gentleman  of  very  handsome  attain- 
ments," and  "  the  ablest  editor  of  the  Baptists  south  of 
New  York."  Mr.  Meredith  had  written  a  series  of 
articles  reviewing  Mr.  Campbell's  Extras  on  Remission 
of  Sins  and  Regeneration,  and  now  offered  to  give  him 
page  for  page  in  his  paper  in  order  to  discuss  these 
subjects.  This  unwonted  liberality  quite  won  upon  Mr. 
Campbell,  who  at  once  accepted  the  proposition.  Sub- 
sequently, however,  he  Avas  led  to  think  that  Mr.  Mere- 


J 


POWER   OF  THE   GOSPEL.  403 

dith  was  about  to  decline  adhering  to  the  'arrangement 
as  he  understood  it,  and  in  the  July  number  for  1835 
he  noticed,  in  his  peculiar  way,  the  supposed  fact  in  an 
article  commencing  with  the  following  queer  analogy  : 
**  The  full-moon  face  with  which  our  friend  Mr.  Mere- 
dith, of  North  Carolina,  looked  on  us  is  now  gibbous 
and  fast  waning  into  the  last  quarter."  Mr.  Campbell, 
however,  was  misinformed  as  to  the  intentions  of  Mr. 
Meredith,  who  remained  quite  willing  to  publish  what 
Mr.  Campbell  chose  to  write  in  defence  of  his  Extras. 
A  discussion  accordingly  ensued,  which,  unfortunately, 
from  the  want  of  a  clear  statement  of  the  propositions 
in  dispute,  consisted  chiefly  in  a  mere  war  of  words,  and 
proved  altogether  unsatisfactory.  Mr.  Meredith  ob- 
jected to  Mr.  Campbell's  proposition  in  reference  to  the 
gospel  facts,  affirming  that  '*  when  these  facts  are  un- 
derstood or  brought  into  immediate  contact  with  the 
mind  of  man,  as  a  moral  seal  or  archetype,  they  deline- 
ate the  image  of  God  upon  the  human  soul."  Taking 
this  sentence  apart  from  its  connection,  Mr.  Meredith 
understood  Mr.  Campbell  to  assert  that  the  gospel  facts 
accomplished  this  work  **  of  themselves J*^  Mr.  Camp- 
bell denied  stating  any  such  proposition,  calling  Mr. 
Meredith's  attention  to  the  context  in  which  he  had 
said :  '*  These  [facts]  are  the  moral  seal  which  testi- 
mony conveys  to  the  understanding  and  faith  brings  to 
the  heart  of  sinners,  by  which  God  creates  them  anew 
and  forms  them  for  his  glory."  So  far  from  represent- 
ing the  facts  as  accomplishing  this  *'  of  themselves ^^^  he 
had  here  expressly  declared  them  to  be  a  means  or  in- 
strument in  the  hands  of  God^  and  in  the  proposition 
itself  had  aflSrmed  that  these  facts  delineated  the  image 
of  God  upon  the  soul,  ^^when  understood  and  brought 
into  immediate  contact  with  the  mind  of  man^^  thus 


1 


404        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

leaving  the  question  of  co-operative  agencies  entirely 
open. 

"I  do  believe,"  said  Mr.  Campbell  in  reply,  *'  and  have 
clearly  taught  time  after  time,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  is  the 
regenerator,  and  that  he  does  it  only  by  his  Word  ;  and  while 
I  cordially  reprobate  your  theory,  or  rather  that  of  Andrev%' 
Fuller,  about  his  previous  holy  principle  and  his  regenerated 
unbeliever,  and  all  that  philosophy,  I  do  teach  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  renovates  the  human  mind  by  the  instrumentality  of 
his  Word ;  while  3'ou  and  many  others  seem  to  me  to  con- 
tend that  the  Holy  Spirit  personally  descends  from  heaven, 
enters  the  human  heart,  and,  without  his  Word,  miraculously 
creates  a  man  anew."  .  .  .  '*I  pretend  not  to  separate  the 
Word  and  the  Spirit  of  God.  I  do  not  say  the  Word  alone 
nor  the  Spirit  alone  enlightens,  sanctifies  or  saves.  With 
the  Lord  Jesus  I  would  pray  to  the  Father,  '  Sanctify  them 
through  thy  truth  ;  thy  Word  is  the  truth.'  I  would  not  say 
with  you,  '  Sanctify  them  by  thy  Spirit  alone.'" 

On  his  part,  Mr.  Meredith  denied  holding  the  senti- 
ment which  Mr.  Campbell  attributed  to  him,  viz. :  that 
regeneration  was  accomplished  without  the  Word.  He 
believed  that  there  was  an  immediate  and  direct  influ- 
ence of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  aid  of  the  Word,  and  that 
the  **  Word  ^/^«d?,. unattended  by  the  Spirit,  was  insuffi- 
cient for  this  work."  Again  he  had  said,  "  It  is  to  the 
direct  action  of  this  omnipotent  Spirit  that  the  Word, 
otherwise  -powerless^  is  indebted  for  its  triumphs  over 
the  natural  heart."  This  direct  divine  interposition  thus 
claimed,  Mr.  Campbell  regarded  as  miraculous  and  as 
nowhere  promised  in  the  Scriptures.  He  thought  the 
doctrine  most  pernicious,  because  it  led  men  to  dis- 
regard or  undervalue  the  word  of  God,  looking  for 
sensible  '*  impressions"  or  '*  operations"  nowhere  prom- 
ised. He  therefore  utterly  refused  to  commit  him- 
self to  any  positive  statement  or  theory  of  the  influences 


DESIGN  OF  BAPTISM,  405 

by  which  the  facts  of  the  gospel  were  •  brought  into 
immediate  contact  with  the  mind  and  heart  of  the 
sinner.  He  thought  it  the  duty  of  all  to  leave  these 
matters  with  God  and  simply  to  preach  the  Word. 
Speaking  of  regeneration,  he  said, 

"  The  human  heart  must  be  changed  and  renovated  by 
some  cause ;  for  unless  the  heart  be  reconciled  to  God, 
purified,  cleansed,  no  man  can  be  admitted  into  the  society 
of  heaven.  These  views  I  have  always  presented  to  the 
public.  But  the  question  is,  How  is  this  moral  change  to 
be  effected?  By  the  Spirit  alone?  By  the  gospel  facts 
alone?  By  the  Word  alone?  I  do  not  affirm  any  one  of 
these  propositions.     /  never  did  affirm  any  one  of  them, 

"  How  the  Spirit  operates  in  the  Word,  through  the  Word, 
by  the  Word,  or  with  the  Word,  I  do  not  affirm.  I  only 
oppose  the  idea  that  any  one  is  changed  in  heart  or  renewed 
in  the  spirit  of  his  mind  by  the  Spirit  without  the  Word." 

Thus  it  was  that  the  matter  continued  as  before,  the 
real  question  being,  all  the  while,  not  whether  influ- 
ences accompanied  the  gospel,  but  what  was  the  nature 
of  those  influences ;  Mr.  Campbell  declining  to  discuss 
or  determine  this,  or  to  adopt  the  popular  notions  in 
regard  to  this  untaught  question. 

As  respects  the  doctrine  of  baptism  for  the  remission 
of  sins  as  set  forth  in  Mr.  Campbell's  first  Extra,  there 
was  really  no  appreciable  diflference  between  him  and 
Mr.  Meredith.  Upon  this  subject,  Professor  Ryland 
of  Richmond  published  about  this  time  a  discourse,  in 
which  he  denied  that  Peter  was  to  be  literally  under- 
stood to  command  the  people  to  be  baptized  for  the 
remission  of  sins,  and  endeavored  to  show  that  the 
Greek  preposition,  i«c>  rendered  ybr,  should  be  trans- 
lated tnto^  so  that  the  meaning  of  Peter's*  words  might 
be  thus  stated:   *«Be  baptized  into  the  confession  or 


4o6         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

doctrine  of  forgiveness."  This  discourse  Mr.  Meredith 
reviewed,  and  after  disputing  Dr.  Ry land's  criticism 
upon  ire,  went  on  to  say  : 

*'  The  proper  question  to  be  asked  here,  it  appears  to  us, 
is  this :  What  is  the  scriptural  import  of  the  phrase,  ice 
affzffiv  d/xaprtwv,  in  the  text  rendered  '  for  the  remission  of 
sins?*  To  answer  this  question  in  short  we  turn  first  to 
Matt.  xxvi.  28,  and  read  as  follows :  '  For  this  is  my  blood 
of  the  New  Testament,  which  is  shed  for  many  (it?  ac>£<ftv 
d/iapTcw/)  for  the  remission  of  sins.'  This  passage  is,  in  our 
opinion,  decisive.  That  the  blood-  of  Christ  was  shed  'into 
the  remission  of  sins'  or  '  into  the  confession  or  the  doctrine 
of  forgiveness,'  we  are  sure  no  one  will  contend.  On  the 
contrary,  that  it  was  shed  ^or  the  remission  of  sins  as  an 
end  is  equally  beyond  the  possibility  of  a  doubt.  The  same 
phrase  occurs  Mark  i.  4 :  'John  did  baptize  in  the  wilderness 
and  preach  the  baptism  of  repentance  (tjc  H^strtv  djiapTtw>)  for 
the  remission  of  sins.*  This  passage,  when  interpreted  by 
the  former,  as  it  ought  to  be,  is  not  less  certain  and  decisive 
in  its  import.  To  say  that  John  preached  the  baptism  of 
repentance  into  the  remission  of  sins  would  be  to  employ 
language  singularly  obscure,  if  not  altogether  unintelligible. 
See  again  Luke  iii.  3  :  '  And  he  came  into  all  the  country 
around  Jordan,  preaching  the  baptism  of  repentance  (tcc 
d^effiv  d/iapriwy)  for  the  remission  of  sins.'  The  same  remark 
applies  to  this  case  which  was  made  in  relation  to  the  pre- 
ceding. These,  including  the  passage  in  question,  are  the 
only  instances  in  which  the  phrase  tt<;  aysffcv  d/xaprnov  occurs 
in  the  New  Testament.  That  the  first  case  is  decidedly  in 
favor  of  the  present  rendering,  for  the  remission  of  sins, 
and  that  the  others  are  but  little  less  so,  it  seems  to  us  cannot 
admit  of  a  doubt.  To  say  the  least,  there  is  certainly  no 
evidence  in  favor  of  the  rendering  proposed  by  the  author." 

After  objecting,  then,  to  the  rendering  or  paraphrase  given 
by  Dr.  Rylan  J,  as  well  as  to  the  theology  implied  in  it,  he 
says,  in  conclusion,  "We  object  in  the  last  place  to  the  neces- 


CANDOR   OF  AN  OPPONENT.  407 

sary  tendency  of  the  argument  before  us^  This  argument,  if 
we  understand  it  correctly,  goes  to  show  that  baptism  has  no 
sort  of  connection  with  remission  ;  and  that  although  a  posi- 
tive institution  of  the  New  Testament,  and  the  only  author- 
ized medium  of  admission  into  the  Christian  Church,  it  is 
nevertheless  a  matter  in  which  the  sinner's  salvation  is  in  no 
way  concerned.  Now,  when  we  hear  two  evangelists  speak 
of  the  baptism  of  repentance  for  the  remission  of  sins — when 
we  hear  the  King  himself  in  his  last  commission  affirm  that 
'  he  that  believes  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved' — when  we 
hear  an  apostle  acting  under  that  commission  require  the 
people  to  '  repent  and  be  baptized  for  the  remission  of  sins' — 
when  we  hear  Ananias  say  to  Paul,  'And  now  why  tarriest 
thou  ?  Arise  and  be  baptized  and  wash  away  thy  sins* — we 
believe  that  all  these  must  mean  something.  And  when  we 
call  to  mind  that  three  thousand  were  baptized  on  the  same 
day  of  conversion ;  that  the  household  of  Cornelius  had  no 
sooner  given  evidence  of  repentance  than  Peter  demanded 
their  baptism ;  that  the  Ethiopian  eunuch  was  baptized  in 
the  midst  of  his  journey,  and  that  the  Philippian  jailer  and 
his  household  were  baptized  at  midnight, — we  cannot  but  be- 
lieve that  baptism  has  a  much  more  important  connection 
with  salvation  and  remission  than  is  now  generally  supposed. 
At  any  rate,  we  cannot  but  suspect  the  expediency  of  any 
attempt  to  explain  away  the  force  of  passages  which,  if  we 
be  not  much  mistaken,  are  well  sustained  by  the  analogy  of 
faith  and  the  usus  loquendi^ 

Such  plain  admissions  as  these  brought,  as  a  matter 
of  course,  upon  Mr.  Meredith  charges  of  '*  Campbellism" 
from  some  of  his  brethren,  but  he  was  too  independent 
and  high-minded  to  yield  his  convictions  of  tf uth  to  any 
partisan  clamors.  Some  years  after,  he  thus  wrote  to 
a  correspondent  who  accused  him  of  agreeing  with  Mr. 
Campbell : 

"  That  the  Scriptures  have  connected  baptism  and  remis- 
sion in  some  sense  it  is  worse  than  useless  to  deny.     We  are 


4o8        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

aware  that  attempts. have  been  made  to  destroy  the  force  of 
the  passages  referred  to ;  but  always  with  such  success  as  to 
betray  the  nakedness  of  the  land,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
illustrate  the  deplorable  effects  of  partisan  prejudice.  On 
this  point,  Mr.  Campbell  has  always  had  the  advantage  of  his 
opponents.  He  has  triumphantly  quoted  such  passages  as 
Acts  ii.  38,  against  which  nothing  has  ever  been  offered  better 
than  a  flimsy  criticism  or  a  palpable  perversion  of  apostolic 
teaching. 

"Here  we  have  taken  different  ground  from  the  rest  of  our 
brethren.  We  have  promptly  conceded  to  Mr.  Campbell 
everything  which  candor  seemed  to  demand.  We  have  con- 
ceded that  the  evangelists  and  apostles,  in  the  places  referred 
to,  meant  what  they  said.  We  have  conceded  that,  in  a  given 
sense,  and  under  certain  limitations  and  for  certain  ends,  re- 
mission has  been  connected  with  baptism."  Upon  this,  Mr. 
Campbell  remarked  :  "  The  above  concessions  contain  all  that 
we  are  anxious  to  maintain.  '  If  the  evangelists  and  the 
apostles  meant  what  they  said  in  the  places  referred  to'  for 
proof  by  us,  we  ask  no  more :  for  it  was  always  alleged  by 
us  that  ^  in  a  given  sense  and  under  certain  limitations  and  for 
certain  ends,  remission  has  been  connected  with  baptism.' 
We  never  went  further  than  this ;  our  opponents  said  we  did, 
but  no  man  can  show  from  our  own  language  that  we  have 
ever  transcended  the  words  above  quoted  from  Mr.  Meredith." 

The  above  candid  and  manly  utterances  of  Mr.  Mere- 
dith, so  far  from  creating  disaffection  among  the  Bap- 
tists in  North  Carolina,  only  increased  their  respect  for 
him,  and  tended  to  diffuse  throughout  the  extensive 
Chowan  Association  to  which  he  belonged  a  spirit  of 
gentleness  and  liberality  toward  the  Reformers  scarcely 
found  elsewhere.  The  consequence  was,  that  division 
did  not  occur  among  the  churches  there,  and  the  Re- 
formers, both  preachers  and  people,  continued  to  hold 
and  to  express  their  sentiments  without  hindrance. 
And  it  is  worthy  of  note  that  this  concession   to  the 


ASSAULT  UPON  INFIDELS.  409 

ancient  spirit  of  Baptist  toleration  and  freedom  enured 
greatly  to  the  benefit  of  the  Baptists  themselves  in  North 
Carolina,  where  the  memory  of  Mr.  Meredith,  who  was 
distinguished  no  less  for  piety  and  talent  than  for  inde- 
pendence and  candor,  is  still  fondly  and  most  deservedly 
cherished. 

In  the  spring  of  1835,  at  Mr.  Campbell's  desire,  Dr. 
Richardson  removed  from  Carthage  to  Bethany  to  assist 
in  the  editorial  duties  of  the  "  Harbinger,"  in  order  that 
Mr.  Campbell  might  be  enabled  to  spend  more  time 
abroad  in  answer  to  many  urgent  calls.  On  the  30th 
of  May,  he  accordingly  set  out  on  a  four  to  the  North- 
east, accompanied  by  T.  Fanning,  of  Nashville,  and  J. 
Taffe,  of  Wilmington,  Ohio.  Mr.  TafFe  had  some  time 
before  abandoned  the  legal  profession  and  devoted  himself 
to  preaching.  He  was  much  esteemed  by  Mr.  Campbell 
for  his  abilities  and  many  agreeable  qualities,  and  es- 
pecially for  his  earnest  and  intelligent  advocacy  of  the 
cause  of  truth,  whose  interests  he  labored  to  promote, 
not  only  by  his  public  addresses,  but  by  the  publication 
of  various  pamphlets,  in  which  he  treated  some  of  the 
important  subjects  connected  with  the  gospel  in  a  very 
cogent  and  effective  manner. 

As  some  leading  skeptics  were  at  this  time  very 
actively  propagating  their  sentiments  in  Northern  Ohio, 
Mr.  Campbell  visited  Ravenna,  where  he  spoke  six 
times,  exposing  the  dark  and  dreary  speculations  of 
the  Free-Thinkers,  who  were  publishing  there  an  infidel 
paper,  deriving  its  contents  largely  from  the  "Boston 
Investigator,"  edited  by  the  apostate  Kneeland.  Pass- 
ing thence  to  Cleveland,  he  delivered  several  lectures 
on  the  evidences  of  Christianity,  inviting  the  doubting 
to  state  their  objections  publicly.  One  of  the  leaders 
of  the  skeptics  there,  Mr.  Irad  Kelley,  availed  himself 

35 


4IO        MEMOIRS    OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

of  this  privilege,  and  Mr.  Campbell  replied.  Great 
interest  being  manifested  by  the  people,  the  discussion 
was  continued,  and  at  the  next  meeting  Mr.  Kelley  de- 
livered a  long  tirade  against  the  Bible,  full  of  reckless 
assertions  and  incorrect  statements.  Mr.  Campbell 
having  become  quite  hoarse,  requested  Matthew  Clapp, 
who  had  some  time  before  married  his  sister  Alicia,  and 
happened  to  be  on  the  ground,  to  reply  to  Mr.  Kellej', 
which  he  did  with  much  point  and  argument. 

In  the  mean  time,  Dr.  Samuel  Underhill  appeared  on 
the  stage  as  the  defender  of  skepticism,  and  requested 
to  be  heard.  A  discussion  consequently  ensued,  taking 
a  somewhat  wide  range,  during  some  eight  or  ten  half- 
hour  speeches,  after  which  Mr.  Campbell  was  requested 
to  deliver  a  continuous  argument  on  the  subject  of 
miracles  before  the  citizens.  Dr.  Underhill  being  al- 
lowed to  offer  a  reply.  When  the  time  for  delivering 
this  discourse  arrived,  a  very  large  concourse  was  pres- 
ent, and  Mr.  Campbell  presented  a  very  powerful  and 
overwhelming  defence  of  miracles,  dwelling  in  conclu- 
sion upon  prophecy  as  a  miracle  to  those  who  witnessed 
its  fulfillment,  and  pointing  out  the  dispersion  and  pres- 
ent state  of  the  Jews,  and  the  rise  of  the  Man  of  Sin  in 
the  Christian  Church,  as  matters  thus  clearly  foretold 
and  fully  verified  before  the  eyes  of  the  present  genera- 
tion. When  Dr.  Underhill  rose  to  respond,  the  con- 
gregation seemed  disposed  to  adjourn,  upon  which  the 
doctor  appointed  a  meeting  for  the  next  morning,  when 
but  few  attended,  and  he  made  but  a  feeble  reply.  Mr. 
Campbell  then  recapitulated  the  points  made  during  the 
discussion,  and  contrasted  the  prospects  and  ultimate 
termination  proposed  in  the  two  systems  of  Christian- 
ity and  of  infidelity  with  commanding  eloquence  and 
power.     After  a  friendly  exhortation  to  his  antagonists. 


TOUR   TO   THE  EAST  411 

he  then  closed  the  discussion,  during  which  the  greatest 
courtesy  and  good  feeling  had  been  preserved,  and  the 
effect  of  which  was  very  marked  in  checking  the  prog- 
ress of  infidelity  in  that  quarter. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  pursue  minutely  the  incidents  of 
this  laborious  trip,  undertaken  in  the  midst  of  oppressive 
summer  heats  and  the  still  more  depressing  evidences 
of  the  deep  and  unfounded  religious  prejudices  with 
which  the  minds  of  the  communities  which  he  now, 
for  the  first  time,  visited,  had  been  imbued  by  misrepre- 
sentation and  bigotry,  and  which  led  the  religious  parties 
to  deny  to  him  everywhere  the  use  of  their  houses. 
Some  of  his  private  letters  written  on  his  way  may  here 
furnish  sufficient  detail,  while  they  will  afford  a  more 
grateful  view  of  the  feelings  and  affections  governing 
his  inner  life.  That  love  for  man  as  man,  which  in- 
duced him  to  undergo  so  many  toils  and  sacrifices  to 
dispense  the  blessings  of  the  gospel,  manifested  itself 
even  in  the  minutest  matters.  It  led  him  habitually  to 
send  his  salutations  and  kind  wishes  by  name  even  to 
his  domestics  and  to  the  hired  blacks  and  the  humblest 
Roman  Catholic  laborers  on  his  farm.  Nor  is  the  ele- 
vated character  of  his  aspirations  less  evident  in  the 
tender  solicitude  which  he  ever  manifested  for  the 
Christian  progress  and  perfection  of  the  various  mem- 
bers of  his  own  immediate  family  and  for  the  happiness 
of  his  intimate  friends  : 

"  Lake  Erie,  June  xi,  1836. 
"My  dear  Selina:  The  lake  at  this  moment  rolls' in 
waves  under' a  very  strong  wind,  about  as  fierce  as  when  my- 
self and  Eliza  sailed  up  the  Chesapeake  Bay.  We  are  now 
about  sixty  miles  above  Buffalo,  and  hope  to  be  there  to-night. 
The  table  rolls  so  that  I  can  hardly  sit  up  straight.  But  how 
pleasing  the  thought  that  we  are  always  in  the  hand  of  our 


412         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL, 

Father  in  heaven,  who  is  at  all  times  equally  able  to  save  us 
from  danger  the  most  imminent  as  well  as  when  no  harm  is 
visible !  .  .  .  I  have  spoken  in  Cleveland  now  for  the  space 
of  six  days  in  defence  of  the  gospel.  I  trust  much  good  will 
result  from  the  discussions  we  have  had  with  the  skeptics  of 
that  place. 

"  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hawley  and  their  amiable  daughters  have 
much  affection  for  you,  because  Brother  Hawley  used  to  live 
in  Shrewsbury,  and  was  well  acquainted  with  yoitr  mother 
before  she  was  married.  Add  to  this  his  great  regard  for  the 
truth  and  for  those  who  know  and  obey  it. 

'*  I  trust  you  are  all  attention,  my  dear,  to  your  health,  and, 
next  to  your  health,  the  education  and  improvement  of  our 
dear  children.  Remember,  this  is  the  great  business  of  life: 
to  transmit  to  those,  and  through  those  to  whom  30U  have 
given  birth,  the  knowledge  of  God  and  of  his  Anointed  for 
their  sakes  and  for  the  good  of  others  yet  unborn.  In  this 
way  alone  you  can  pay  your  debts.  Remember  me  most 
affectionately  to  all  my  dear  children.  The  elder  branches 
of  my  family  are,  I  trust,  daily  improving  in  useful  knowledge 
and  growing  up  in  the  study  and  practice  of  all  that  is  lovely 
and  excellent. 

"My  father  left  me  in  good  health  yesterday  morning,  and 
will  spend  the  summer  in  the  Lake  country.  My  kindest  re- 
membrance to  all  my  household  ;  and  for  yourself,  accept  the 
repetition  of  my  conjugal  and  Christian  love.    Your  husband, 

*'A.  Caaipbell.*' 

"  Lewistown,  N.  Y.  (opposite  to  Queenstoi*Ti  Heights  and  General  \ 
Brocks*  monument  in  Upper  Canada,  famous  for  the  Battle  \ 
of  1814,  Niagara  River),  June  18,  1836.  j 

"My  beloved  Wife  and  Daughters  Eliza,  Lavixia 
AND  Clarinda  Campbell,  ^r^^////^ ;  Health  and  salvation 
through  our  God  and  Father  and  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ ! 

^^Dearly  Beloved:  Next  to  my  own  personal  and  eternal 
salvation  through  my  Lord  and  Saviour,  there  is  nothing  on 
earth  dearer  to  me  than  your  present,  spiritual  and  eternal 


DOMESTIC  AFFECTION,  413 

good.  I  wish  you  to  be  intelligent,  pure  and  influential  on 
earth,  loving  and  beloved  as  far  as  mortals  like  you  can  be ; 
to  be  ornaments  in  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ,  respectful 
and  respected,  honorable  and  honored,  good  and  happy  as  my 
wife  and  daughters  ought  to  be.  On  you  all  God  has  be- 
stowed good  mental  capacities,  powers  of  acquiring  and  com- 
municating knowledge,  fine  feeling  and  many  excellences 
capable  of  much  improvement  and  of  rendering  you  very 
useful  in  society.  Now  let  me  say  to  you  that  you  are  thereby 
under  great  responsibilities,  and  let  me  remind  you  that  you 
all  seek  to  be  more  intelligent,  more  amiable  and  more  ex- 
emplary every  day.  I  do  not  say  this  as  though  I  did  not 
think  you  are  as  much  so  now  as  any  of  my  wide  and  ex- 
tended acquaintances,  but  because  I  wish  you  to  be  of  un- 
rivaled excellence. 

'*  I  am  just  accidentally  spending  the  night  at  the  stage- 
office,  waiting  to  start  in  the  morning  at  three  o'clock  for  the 
canal  at  Lockport.  We  have  spent  three  days  at  the  Falls 
of  Niagara  on  the  American  and  Canada  sides,  an  account 
of  which  we  will  send  you  in  a  few  days.  I  have  not  had 
such  a  feast  in  many  years  as  I  have  enjoyed  for  three  days. 
The  scenes  here  beggar  all  description.  This  place  is  visited 
by  men  of  all  nations.  One  hundred  gentlemen  and  ladies 
have  been  at  our  hotel  for  the  last  three  days — from  Boston, 
Paris  and  various  American  cities.  I  only  spoke  once  since 
my  arrival,  and  am  rather  here  incognito  for  recreation. 
There  are  many  very  elegant  ladies,  highly  cultivated  and 
refined,  from  Boston  and  New  York,  as  well  as  from  other 
places,  but  none  for  whom  God  has  done  more  intellectually, 
morally,  and,  indeed,  in  every  way,  than  for  my  excellent 
wife  and  amiable  daughters.  And,  therefore,  it  is  my  wish 
that  you  should  all  know  how  much  God  has  done  for  you, 
that  you  may  love,  admire  and  serve  him  more  and  more. 

"  Take  care  of  your  health,  your  mind,  your  time,  and  keep 
your  hearts  from  forgetting  the  Chief  among  the  ten  thou- 
sands— the  Lord  who  has  redeemed  us.  I  cannot  describe  to 
you  my  feelings  or  regrets  when  I  see  so  many  of  the  fine 

35  • 


414        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

ladies  of  the  country,  and  from  the  first  circles,  aliens  from 
God  and  Christ — those  who  from  their  commanding  emi- 
nence in  society  could  influence  many,  themselves  without 
religious  feelings  and  without  the  proper  knowledge  of  God. 
Seeing  those  of  the  first  class  so  unapproachable  and  so 
dead  to  the  matters  of  religion  stirs  up  my  soul  for  you  and 
for  many  others.  Seek  to  shine  in  all  moral  excellence  and 
to  be  valiant  for  the  truth. 

'*  Remember  me  to  Maria  with  all  affection.  I  have  for 
her  the  highest  esteem  and  aflfection.  My  younger  children 
are  not  yet  capable  of  entering  into  these  matters.  God 
knows  that  I  desire  th^t  they  may  be  his  children  as  they  are 
mine,  and  that  they  will  be  brought  up  for  him.  May  he 
bless  them  with  all  grace  as  he  has  blessed  you  all.  Remem- 
ber me  most  aflfectionately  to  Edwin  and  his  Julia,  to  William 
and  his  Selina,  to  my  son  Robert  and  his  household,  to  Mother 
Bakewell,  to  Theron  especially,  and  particularly  to  my  cousin 
Enos,  to  Betsy,  to  Susanna,  to  Charles  and  to  James,  and  to 
Hugh  McNally. 

"  Present  my  kindest  regards  to  Sister  and  Brother  Richard- 
son, and  may  the  Lord  God  that  has  preserved  me  from  a 
thousand  dangers,  preserve  you  all,  to  his  everlasting  kingdom 
is  the  prayer  of  your  most  afl^ectionate  husband  and  father, 

"A.  Campbell." 

"Near  Rochester,  June  21,  18361 
"Dear  Brother  Richardson  :  I  rejoice  with  you  in  the 
pleasing  intelligence  that  your  Brother  John  has  become  to 
you  dear  in  the  Lord  as  well  as  in  the  flesh.  Of  all  the  jo\'s 
that  mortals  taste  in  this  vale  of  tears,  those  are  the  purest 
which  spring  from  the  approbation  of  our  heavenly  Father, 
and  from  the  sight  of  our  fellow-mortals  turning  with  all  their 
hearts  to  the  Lord.  They  only  who  have  felt  the  pardon- 
ing mercy  of  God  in  their  own  case  can  rightly  appreciate 
the  benefits  that  accrue  to  others  from  their  submission  to  the 
Saviour,  and  therefore  it  is  for  them  to  rejoice  in  company 
with  the  angels  of  heaven  over  sinners  returning  to  God. 
We  are  often  solaced  with  those  joys  in  the  blessed  work  of 


LABORS  IN^THE   GOSPEL.  415 

proclaiming  the  Word.  For  a  week  past,  however,  we  have 
not,  owing  to  the  most  unpropitious  circumstances — of  con- 
tinual rains  and  mud  opposition — had  one  such  occasion  of 
rejoicing.  The  towns  on  the  canal  are  either  wholly  devoted 
to  mammon  and  infidelity  or  to  mammon  and  sectarianism, 
so  far  as  we  have  found  on  an  acquaintance  of  the  last  few 
days. 

"  I  commence  to-day,  June  24,  a  series  of  lectures  in  Roches- 
ter, in  the  midst  of  a  population  of  18,000.  In  the  court- 
house, too  !  Indications  here  are  not  favorable.  The  cause 
has  been  crucified  here  by  one  prominent  individual.  But  I 
am  not  discouraged.  We  shall  try.  Yours  truly  and  affec- 
tionately, A.  Campbell." 

"  Syracuse,  New  York,  July  8,  1836. 

*'  Beloved  Selina  :  I  have  never  been  more  busily  en- 
gaged in  all  my  life  than  on  the  present  tour.  I  am  like  one 
settling  in  a  new  country,  where  everything  is  to  do.  I  have 
labored  incessantly  since  I  came  into  this  State,  disabusing 
the  public  mind  and  teaching  the  disciples.  There  is  a 
powerful  opposition  consolidated  against  the  truth.  I  have 
spoken  some  thirty-seven  times  since  I  left  home.  I  am  now 
at  the  residence  of  our  Sister  Lathrop,  who  resides  with  her 
mother.  She  is  one  of  the  most  amiable,  intelligent  and  ac- 
complished ladies  in  the  city,  and  because  of  her  piety  and 
g^eat  talents  exercises  great  influence  here. 

"I  am  really  very  tired  and  willing  to  seek  repose,  and 
could  wish  that  my  journey  and  my  furlough  were  completed, 
but  I  must  patiently  bear  the  toil  and  endure  the  pain  in  hope 
of  the  reward.  I  have  the  great  pleasure  of  enlightening 
many,  of  relieving  the  distressed  and  broken  in  spirit,  and  of 
making  some  rich  in  the  faith  and  hope  of  Christ.  I  have 
left  a  good  odor  for  Christ  in  every  place.  Yesterday  there 
followed  me  nine  miles  a  Presbyterian  lady  from  Cicero — 
where  some  persons  had  been  immersed — with  many  tears, 
desiring  to  obey  the  Lord.  All  the  country  behind  me  desire 
my  return.  But,  unfortunately,  I  have  to  leave  every  place 
just  when  I  get  the  prejudices  broken  down  a  little.     This 


4l6        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

is  a  hard,  worldly,  skeptical  place.  To-night  I  speak  to  the 
infidels. 

"  The  New  Yorkers  are  intelligent  and  shrewd.  Generally 
the  ladies  are  well  accomplished  ;  some  very  refined,  but  not 
superior  to  the  Virginia  ladies.  They  read  much,  work 
little,  but  are  great  economists. 

"A  company  have  just  this  moment  called  in.  I  am  called 
on.  My  ardent  affection  for  all  my  children  and  for  your- 
self. 

^^  I  need  not  say  that  on  this  earth  there  is  to  me  none  so  dear 
as  the  wife  of  A.  Campbell. 

"  The  Lord  bless  you,  my  dear,  and  all  my  children.  Give 
my  love  by  name  to  all  of  them,  and  remember  me  affection- 
ately to  all  my  household. 

"  Farewell  once  more.  A.  C." 

"  Saratoga  Springs,  July  23,  18361 
"My  dear  Selina  :  Through  the  kindness  and  constant 
care  of  our  heavenly  Father  I  have  safely  arrived  at  this  place. 
It  is  now  fifty-four  days  since  I  bade  you,  my  dear  Selina, 
and  my  dear  children,. adieu,  and  during  that  time  I  have  de- 
livered fifty-nine  public  discourses  and  traveled  more  than 
eight  hundred  miles.  I  came  here  on  Wednesday,  the  20th 
inst.,  very  much  exhausted,  and  have  in  company  with  Father 
Carman  and  Brother  Taffe  taken  lodging  for  one  week  at  a 
private  boarding-house,  and  am  now  quite  comfortable.  We 
drink  of  these  healing  waters  and  bathe  in  them  every  day. 
I  have  a  shower  bath  every  morning  and  a  warm  bath  of  the 
mineral  waters  every  evening,  and  have  got  my  companions 
all  persuaded  to  follow  my  example ;  so  that  we  eat,  drink, 
bathe  and  recruit  ourselves  here  in  good  earnest  in  the  midst 
of  all  the  gayety,  splendor,  equipage  and  show  of  this  rich 
and  proud  nation.  .  .  . 

*'  Here  they  are  from  all  States  and  countries,  and  from 
Europe.  The  lame,  the  halt,  the  feeble  are  here  drinking  the 
healing  streams.  But  there  are  more,  many  more,  here  who 
come  to  show  themselves  and  to  be  seen  rather  than  for  health 
— many  ladies  to  look  for  husbands  and  many  men  for  wives. 


SACRIFICES  AND   TOILS.  417 

So  that  we  have  beauty  and  fashion,  pride  and  pomp  in  full 
style  and  glory.  .  .  . 

"  We  shall  leave  here  on  Wednesday,  the  27th,  and  pro- 
ceed to  Vermont,  where  I  expect  to  preach  on  the  28th.  Then 
we  shall  pass  on  through  New  Hampshire  into  Massachusetts, 
and  proceed  to  the  capital  of  the  State.  I  expect  to  spend  the 
first  week  of  August  at  Boston,  and  then  to  pass  into  Rhode 
Island  and  Connecticut,  and  so  on  to  New  York  city,  thence 
to  Philadelphia,  thence  to  Baltimore,  thence  to  Bethany  some 
time  in  September.  I  have  no  doubt  my  tour  will  be  useful 
to  many,  and  I  think  the  cause  of  truth  will  be  much  sub- 
served by  it ;  but  really  it  is  a  very  great  toil  personal,  and  a 
gi'eat  sacrifice  of  domestic  comfort. 

"  To  one  who  so  much  loves  his  wife  and  children  and  the 
whole  family  circle,  and  delights  in  making  them  happy,  it 
is  not  an  easy  task  to  forsake  them  all  for  so  long  a  time,  but 
when  I  think  of  Him  who  forsook  the  Palace  of  the  Universe 
and  the  glory  of  his  Father's  court,  and  condescended  to  be 
born  of  a  woman  and  to  live  in  an  unfriendly  world,  and  to 
be  treated  a  thousand  times  worse  than  I  have  ever  been,  to 
save  us  from  our  sins,  I  think  but  little  of  all  I  have  done  or 
can  do  to  republish  his  salvation  and  to  call  sinners  to  refor- 
mation and  to  build  up  the  cause  of  life,  of  ancient  Chris- 
tianity. My  success  in  pleading  the  cause  has  been  propor- 
tioned to  the  means  used  and  the  interest  felt  by  those  who 
co-operate  in  it,  and  I  have  no  doubt  but  so  it  will  con- 
tinue to  be. 

"  My  dearly  beloved,  take  care  of  your  health  and  that  of 
our  dear  children,  and  see  that  the  minds  of  the  young  are 
not  under  some  evil  influence.  Watch  over  our  son,  and  re- 
member he  is  a  precious  deposit  committed  to  your  and  to 
my  care.  I  have  not  received  one  letter  from  you  since  I  left 
home — only  a  few  lines  at  the  foot  of  one.  I  cannot  now 
say  where  I  could  hear  from  you  unless  you  would  write  forth- 
with to  New  York  city,  if  you  receive  this  eight  days  after 
date.     If  longer,  write  me  at  Philadelphia. 

"  I  need  not  mention  by  name  any  of  my  children  or  any 
VOL.  II. — 2  B 


4l8  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

brethren  and  sisters  at  Bethany,  for  them  all  I  entertain  the 
esteem,  and  affection  due  to  them,  of  which  you  may  remind 
them ;  while  I  remain  your  sovereign  husband,  liege  lord,  till 
God  himself  dissolves  the  covenant  by  taking  one  of  us  to 
himself.  In  which  hope  of  being  taken  to  the  Lord  I  remain 
truly  and  affectionately  yours,  as  you  are  mine  till  that  day, 

.    "  A.  Campbell." 

After  spending  a  week  at  Saratoga,  where  he  de- 
livered two  addresses,  he  visited  several  points  in  Ver- 
mont, and  after  meeting  with  a  church  of  disciples  at 
Pawlet,  took  passage  for  Boston,  where  he  was  kindly 
received  by  Brother  Himes,  elder  of  the  Christian 
church  there,  to  which  he  delivered  several  discourses 
during  his  stay. 

He  was  much  impressed  by  what  he  observed  in  the 
New  England  States,  and  in  his  journal  pays  to  them 
the  following  just  tribute : 

"  For  general  intelligence,  morality  and  good  order  I  need 
not  say  that  in  the  New  World  no  city  surpasses — I  say  more, 
no  city  equals — the  capital  of  New  England.  Puritanism, 
with  all  its  faults  and  foibles,  has  stamped  a  virtuous  cha- 
racter on  the  whole  nation  of  New  England,  which  centuries 
have  not  effaced  and  which  centuries  to  come  cannot  obliter- 
ate. The  severe  discipline,  stern  morality  and  untemporiz- 
ing  conscientiousness  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  demonstrate 
their  excellency  in  the  vigor,  health,  and  prosperity  of  their 
sons.  And  if  the  fruit  of  every  tree  is  to  test  its  character, 
assured  I  am  that  no  system  of  education  hitherto  adopted 
has  more  to  recommend  it,  as  a  whole,  than  that  experimented 
by  those  godly  Protestants,  founders  of  our  free  institutions, 
which  has  given  to  the  world  so  virtuous  a  race  as  that  which 
yet  occupies  the  soil  on  which  the  pious  Fathers  first  offered 
the  unbloody  sacrifice  of  Christian  gratitude  in  the  savage 
tents  of  Shem.  I  could  not,  on  surveying  the  whole  pre- 
mises— the  industry,  economy,  prosperity,  wealth,  morality 
and  religious  regard  for  the  Bible  generally  apparent  in  those 


SUNRISE  AT  SEA.  419 

old  States — I  say,  I  could  not  but  congratulate  myself  and 
my  fellow-citizens  of  the  West  that  we  have  so  pure  a  cradle, 
so  healthful  a  nursery,  from  which  to  replenish  the  new  States 
with  sons  and  daughters,  who  will  transmit  to  future  times 
the  good  habits  of  the  most  virtuous  and  prosperous  people 
in  the  world." 

Visiting  Lynn  and  Salem,  he  was  much  pleased  with 
his  interviews  with  many  of  *'the  Christians"  of  New 
England,  whom  he  found  candid  and  intelligent,  and 
willing  to  be  taught  the  way  of  the  Lord  more  per- 
fectly. Remaining  in  Massachusetts  about  two  weeks, 
he  passed  by  way  of  Providence  to  New  York.  While 
on  the  steamboat  on  the  Sound  he  greatly  admired  a 
sunrise  which  he  witnessed  and  described.  As  an  illus- 
tration of  his  skill  in  what  is  termed  **  word-painting," 
his  account  of  it  is  here  given  : 

"  I  awoke  with  the  morning  star,  and  going  out  on  deck, 
from  the  brilliant  and  mild  appearance  of  the  heavens  I 
anticipated  the  glories  of  a  sun-rising  at  sea,  and  accord- 
ingly hastened  to  awake  my  companions  to  enjoy  with  me 
the  richest  of  Nature's  feasts.  Soon  as  we  were  all  seated  on 
the  upper  deck  at  the  stern,  with  our  faces  to  the  east,  and 
while  yet  the  morning  star  beamed  in  a  cloudless  sky,  we 
began  each  to  designate  that  point  from  which  we  expected 
the  sun  to  lift  upon  us  his  effulgent  countenance.  As  we 
gazed  upon  the  pacific  and  silvery  brow  of  the  tranquil  sea, 
which,  as  a  splendid  mirror,  seemed  to  reflect  the  glories 
of  the  heavens  fresh  upon  us  with  every  tremulous  swell 
which  urged  us  to  the  desired  haven,  we  saw  a  brightness  in 
the  orient  which  indicated  to  us  the  near  approach  of  the 
joyful  monarch  of  the  day.  The  crepuscular  glimmerings 
gradually  spread  over  all  the  east,  and  as  they  swept  a 
loftier  arch  toward  the  empyrean,  they  assumed  the  bright- 
ness of  liquid  brass ;  while  deeply  bedded  in  the  far  distant 
horizon,  two  pyramidal  columns  began  to  rise,  as  if  the 
clouds  from  the  Atlantic  had  suddenly  formed  themselves 


420        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

into  pillars  for  the  gates  of  the  morning,  erecting  a  sublime 
port  for  the  entrance  of  Nature's  luminary.  Instantly  the 
empyreal  sovereign  streaked  with  gold  the  inner  side  of 
these  two  colossal  pillars,  from  between  which  he  seemed 
resolved  to  enter  upon  the  race  of  a  summer  day.  Deej>er 
and  broader  he  laid  on  the  molten  gold  till  these  two  col- 
umns, capped  with  rubies,  stood  gilded  from  top  to  bottom. 
The  curtain  of  night,  which  seemed  to  encircle  this  glorious 
arch,  culminated  over  the  spot  where  the  eyelids  of  the  morn- 
ing began  to  open  ;  but  before  we  could  take  the  dimensions 
of  this  new  portico  of  day,  the  sun  himself  in  all  the  gorge- 
ousness  of  his  own  peerless  glory,  gently  raised  himself  to 
peep  over  the  silvery  deep  from  which  he  was  about  to 
emerge;  After  a  single  glance,  which  dazzled  on  the  back 
of  every  gentle  curl  on  the  surface  around  him,  he  suddenly, 
at  a  single  bound,  stood  upon  the  sea,  and  by  another  effort 
drew  after  him  from  the  briny  deep  a  golden  pedestal  as  if 
from  a  surface  of  liquid  fire,  on  which  he  seemed  for  a 
moment  to  sit,  while  from  his  dazzling  locks  floods  of  light 
and  splendor  began  to  flow.  His  yellow  hairs,  as  if  bap- 
tized in  a  sea  of  glory,  dropped  light  and  joy  upon  a  world 
starting  into  life,  while  the  gradual  expanding  of  his  wings 
proclaimed  him  about  to  fly  the  circuit  of  the  universe- 
Bidding  farewell  to  sea  and  land,  he  began  his  flight  to  hea- 
ven ;  and  as  he  onward  and  upward  bent  his  way,  I  was 
reminded  of  Jesse's  son,  who  while  a  shepherd-boy  used  to 
sing:  '  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firma- 
ment showeth  his  handiwork.  Day  unto  day  uttereth  speech, 
and  night  unto  night  showeth  knowledge.  No  speech  nor 
language  is  there  where  their  voice  is  not  heard.  Their  line 
is  gone  out  through  all  the  earth,  and  their  words  to  the  end 
of  the  world.  In  them  he  has  set  a  tabernacle  for  the  sun, 
who  is  as  a  bridegroom  coming  out  of  his  chamber  and  re- 
joiceth  as  a  strong  man  to  run  a  race.  His  going  forth  is 
from  the  end  of  heaven,  and  his  circuit  to  the  end  of  it,  and 
there  is  nothing  hid  from  the  heat  thereof.' " 

After   speaking   several   times   in   Philadelphia  and 


RETURN  TO  BETH  ANT,  421 

Baltimore,  he  set  out  on  the  30th  of  August  (1836),  and 
reached  home  safely,  having  been  absent  ninety-four 
days,  during  which  he  traveled  two  thousand  miles  and 
delivered  ninety-three  discourses,  averaging  one  hour 
and  twenty  minutes  each.  During  the  trip  about 
seventy  persons  in  all  had  been  immersed  and  united 
with  the  churches- 

36 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

College  of  Teachers— Roman  Catholic  debate — Discussion  with  Mr.  Skinner 
— S.  W.  Lynd — Christians  among  the  sects— Mr.  Styles. 

IN  a  few  weeks  after  his  return  from  his  Northern 
tour,  Mr.  Campbell  visited  Cincinnati,  where  he  had 
agreed  to  deliver  a  lecture  before  the  College  of 
Teachers.  This  association  consisted  of  those  who 
were  or  had  been  teachers,  and  its  sessions  were  devoted 
to  public  lectures  on  education  and  to  discussions  upon 
the  various  important  questions  connected  with  that  sub- 
ject. When  the  college  met,  3d  of  October,  Dr.  Joshua 
L.  Wilson  gave  the  introductory  lecture,  in  which  he 
recommended  the  Bible  as  a  universal  school-book.  To 
this  objection  was  made  in  the  subsequent  discussion  by 
Bishop  Purcell,  who  had  formerly  been  in  charge  of  the 
Catholic  seminary,  '*  Mount  St.  Mary's  College,"  at 
Emmittsburg,  Maryland.  Mr.  Campbell,  surprised  at 
the  bold  manner  in  which  the  exclusion  of  the  Bible 
from  the  public  schools  was  advocated,  was  still  more 
so  when,  after  the  delivery  of  his  own  lecture  on  **  Moral 
Culture,"  in  which  he  had  connected  the  rapid  march 
of  modern  improvement  with  the  spirit  of  inquiry  pro- 
duced by  the  Protestant  Reformation,  Bishop  Purcell 
took  strong  exception  to  this  doctrine,  openly  affirming 
that  '*  the  Protestant  Reformation  had  been  the  cause  of 
all  the  contention  and  infidelity  in  the  world."  As  this 
proposition  was  quite  foreign  to  the  business  of  the  con- 

422 


ANTECEDENTS  OF  DEBATE.  423 

vention,  where  religious  discussions  were  not  allowed, 
Mr.  Campbell  informed  the  bishop  that,  if  he  wished  a 
discussion  on  that  subject,  he  was  prepared  for  it,  and 
would  attend  to^t  when  convenient  to  him,  but  that  in 
the  College  he  could  only  defend  his  assertion  as  to  its 
bearings  on  education.  Bishop  Purcell,  in  reply,  de- 
clared himself  in  favor  of  free  discussion,  saying  that 
his  word  was  the  word  of  God,  commanding,  **  Let  there 
be  light."  As  he  did  not,  however,  signify  his  accept- 
ance of  Mr.  Campbell's  proposition,  the  latter,  after  the 
meeting,  gave  public  notice  that  he  would  speak  upon 
the  subject  on  the  Monday  evening  following  in  the 
Sycamore  Street  meeting-house.  At  the  close  of  his 
address.  Bishop  Purcell,  who  was  present,  was  invited 
to  reply,  but  requested  an  adjournment  to  the  next 
evening,  when  he  spent  most  of  the  time  in  a  tirade  of 
abuse  against  Martin  Luther  and  the  Reformation,  and 
when  Mr.  Campbell  proposed  to  have  the  discussion 
subjected  to  moderators  and  to  proper  rules,  declined 
any  further  debate.  Mr.  Campbell  then,  on  the  follow- 
ing evening,  in  the  Wesley  chapel,  addressed  a  very 
crowded  assembly  upon  the  subjects  involved,  and  gave 
notice  at  the  close  that  he  designed  to  prosecute  the 
matter  no  farther,  summing  up  the  whole,  however,  in 
six  propositions,  which  he  declared  himself  at  any  time 
able  to  sustain.  Next  day  he  received  the  following 
note : 

"  Cincinnati,  October  13,  1836. 
"  To  THE  Rev.  Mr.  Campbell  : 

"  Dear  Sir  ;  The  undersigned,  citizens  of  Cincinnati,  hav- 
ing listened  with  great  pleasure  to  your  exposure  and  illus- 
trations of  the  absurd  claims  and  usages  of  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic Church,  would  respectfully  and  earnestly  request  you  to 
proceed  immediately  to  establish  before  this  community  the 
six  propositions  announced  at  the  close  of  your  lecture  last 


424         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

evening.  This  request  is  made  under  the  conviction  that  the 
present  state  of  feeling  in  this  city,  and  the  critical  state  of  the 
country  with  reference  to  Romanism,  demand  this,  and  will 
fully  justify  such  a  course,  and  also  v^ith  the  expectation  that 
it  may  result  in  much  good  to  the  cause  of  Protestantism  in 
the  West." 

This  letter  was  signed  by  a  large  number  of  the  most 
respectable  citizens,  and  the  following  P.  S.  was  added  : 
*'  One-half  of  the  city  could  be  obtained  would  time 
permit.  Fearing  your  hasty  departure  induces  the 
above  persons  to  hand  it  in  without  delay." 

Mr.  Campbell,  in  reply,  after  giving  a  brief  statement 
of  the  circumstances  w^hich  had  led  to  the  introduction 
of  the  subject,  and  re-stating  his  propositions,  frankly 
consented  to  sustain  them  publicly  against  Bishop  Pur- 
cell  or  any  of  the  Catholic  priesthood,  stipulating  only 
that,  in  order  to  give  proper  publicity  to  the  matter  and 
to  afford  him  time  to  fulfill  his  existing  engagements, 
the  meeting  should  be  postponed  till  about  the  beginning 
of  the  new  year,  when  he  would,  either  in  a  discussion 
or  in  public  lectures,  endeavor  to  maintain  the  proposi- 
tions he  had  submitted.  Bishop  Purcell  having  subse- 
quently consented  to  meet  Mr.  Campbell,  the  propo- 
sitions were  arranged  as  follows : 

^^  I.  The  Roman  Catholic  institution,  sometimes  called  the 
Holy  Apostolic  Church,  is  not  now  nor  was  she  ever  catho- 
lic, apostolic  or. holy  ;  but  is  a  sect  in  the  fair  import  of  that 
word,  older  than  any  other  sect  nowexisting ;  not  the  '  mother 
and  mistress  of  all  churches,'  but  an  apostasy  from  the  only 
true,  apostolic  and  catholic  Church  of  Christ. 

^*  2.  Her  notion  of  apostolic  succession  is  without  any 
foundation  in  the  Bible,  in  reason  or  in  fact;  an  imposition 
of  the  most  injurious  consequences,  built  upon  unscriptural 
and  anti-scriptural  traditions,  resting  wholly  upon  the  opinions 
of  interested  and  fallible  men. 


RULES  OF  DISCUSSION.  425 

"3.  She  is  not  uniform  in  her  faith  or  united  in  her  mem- 
bers, but  mutable  and  fallible  as  any  other  sect  of  philosophy 
or  religion — Jewish,  Turkish  or  Christian — a  confederation 
of  sects  under  a  politico-ecclesiastic  head. 

"  4.  She  is  the  Babylon  of  John,  the  Man  of  Sin  of  Paul, 
and  the  Empire  of  the  Youngest  Horn  of  Daniel's  sea 
monster. 

"  5.  Her  notions  of  purgatory,  indulgences,  auricular  con- 
fession, remission  of  sins,  transubstantiation,  supererogation, 
etc.,  essential  elements  of  her  system,  are  immoral  in  their 
tendency  and  injurious  to  the  well-being  of  society,  religious 
and  political. 

"  6.  Notwithstanding  her  pretensions  to  have  given  us  the 
Bible  and  faith  in  it,  we  are  perfectly  independent  of  her  for 
our  knowledge  of  that  book  and  its  evidences  of  a  divine 
original. 

"  7.  The  Roman  Catholic  religion,  if  infallible  and  unsus- 
ceptible of  reformation,  as  alleged,  is  essentially  anti-American, 
being  opposed  to  the  genius  of  all  free  institutions  and  posi- 
tively subversive  of  them,  opposing  the  general  reading  of 
the  Scriptures  and  the  diffusion  of  useful  knowledge  among 
the  whole  oommunity,  so  essential  to  liberty  and  the  perma- 
nency of  good  government." 

The  following  were  the  rules  of  discussion  : 

"  I.  We  agree  that  the  copyright  of  the  discussion  shall  be 
sold  to  some  bookseller,  who  shall  have  it  taken  down  by 
stenographers,  and  that  all  the  avails  of  the  copyright  shall 
be  equally  divided  between  any  such  two  public  charities 
as  Bishop  Purcell  and  Mr.  Campbell  shall  respectively 
designate. 

^^  2.  That  the  discussion  shall  take  place  in  the  Sycamore 
Street  meeting-house,  and  shall  continue  seven  days,  exclusive 
of  Sunday,  commencing  this  morning,  from  half-past  9  o'clock, 
A.M.,  to  half-past  12,  and  from  3  to  5  P.M.,  each  day, 

'*  3.  Mr.  Campbell  shall  open  the  discussion  each  session, 
and  Bishop  Purcell  respond.  During  the  morning  session 
the  first  speech  of  each  shall  not  exceed  one  hour,  nor  the 

86  • 


426        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

second  half  an  hour.  In  the  afternoon  each  speaker  shall 
occupy  only  half  an  hour. 

"  4.  The  discussion  shall  be  under  the  direction  of  a  board 
of  five  moderators,  of  whom  each  party  shall  choose  two, 
and  these  the  fiflh ;  an}'  three  of  which  shall  constitute  a 
quorum. 

"5.  The  duties  of  the  moderators  shall  be  to  preserve 
order  in  the  assembly  and  to  keep  the  parties  to  the  question." 

* 

The  moderators  appointed  were  John  C.  Rodgers, 
Mr.  Hite,  William  Disney,  Samuel  Lewis  and  Jacob 
W.  Piatt.  On  Friday,  January  13,  1837,  ^^  debate 
commenced,  and  was  conducted  with  the  utmost  order, 
harmony  and  good  feeling.  A  constantly  increasing 
interest  was  manifested  by  the  citizens  until  its  close. 

As  this  discussion  has  been  extensively  circulated  in 
print,  it  would  be  unnecessary  to  speak  particularly  of 
its  merits,  which  have  been  so  generally  acknowledged. 
Some  matters  connected  with  it,  however,  and  the  im- 
pressions made  upon  the  community  at  the  time,  may  be 
given.  Mr.  Campbell,  on  this  occasion,  hadHo  contend 
against  several  unfavorable  circumstances.  On  the 
way  to  Cincinnati  he  had  contracted  a  violent  cold, 
which  rendered  him  feverish,  and  by  which  he  w^as 
much  oppressed  during  the  consideration  of  the  first 
three  propositions.  At  the  close  of  this  period,  upon 
taking  some  medicine,  he  obtained  relief,  and  a  marked 
difference  was  afterward  noticeable  in  the  clearness  of 
his  voice  and  the  vigor  of  his  replies.  His  next  speech 
of  an  hour  on  the  fourth  proposition  was  so  grand  and 
overwhelming  that  it  made  a  most  profound  impression, 
not  only  upon  the  audience,  but  apparently  upon  Bishop 
Purcell  himself,  who,  it  was  observed,  seemed  quite 
unable  to  recover  from  the  force  of  Mr.  Campbell's 
graphic  delineation  of  Romanism  and  its  identification 


PUBLIC  EXCITEMENT.  427 

with  *' the  Babylon  of  John,  the  Man  of  Sin  of  Paul,  and 
the  Little  Horn  of  Daniel's  vision.'^  Meanwhile,  Mr. 
Charles  Hammond,  editor  of  the  "  Gazette,"  for  whose 
abilities  Mr.  Campbell  entertained  a  very  high  respect, 
had  taken  unexpectedly,  as  was  supposed  for  political 
and  personal  reasons,  the  side  of  the  Catholics,  and  en- 
deavored to  forestall  public  opinion  by  representing  the 
debate  as  a  war  upon  the  Catholics,  and  as  a  failure  in 
the  estimation  of  the  citizens  even  while  it  was  yet  in 
progress,  and  he  had  not  himself  heard  the  full  discus- 
sion of  a  single  proposition.  This  misrepresentation 
of  public  opinion  led  to  a  large  meeting  of  the  citizens 
at  the  close  of  the  discussion,  at  which  the  following 
resolutions  were  passed : 

^^  I.  Resolved^  That  it  is  the  unanimous  opinion  of  this 
meeting  that  the  cause  of  Protestantism  has  been  fully  sus- 
tained throughout  this  discussion. 

"  2.  Resolved^  That  it  is  our  opinion  the  arguments  in 
favor  of  Protestantism,  and  the  objections  to  the  errors  of 
popery,  have  not  yet  been  met. 

"  3.  Resolved^  That  we  look  forward  to  the  publication  of 
this  discussion  as  a  powerful  antidote  to  the  sophistry  and 
arrogance  of  all  the  advocates  of  Romanism ;  and  that  we 
have  the  fullest  confidence  in  submitting  it  to  the  impartial 
decision  of  the  American  people. 

'*  4.  Resolved^  That  we  approve  of  the  spirit  and  temper, 
and  were  pleased  with  the  power  of  argument  and  the  authori- 
ties by  which  Mr.  Campbell  sustained  his  positions,  and  con- 
cur with  him  in  possessing  1)0  unkind  feeling  or  prejudices 
toward  individuals,  but  believe  the  principles  of  Romanism 
inconsistent  with  our  free  institutions." 

A  high  degree  of  excitement  prevailed  through  the 
city,  and  some  severe  animadversions  were  published 
in  the  papers  upon  the  course  which  Mr.  Hammond 
had  thought  proper  to  pursue.     A  sharp  correspondence 


4^8        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

upon  the  subject  also  took  place  between  him  and  Mr. 
Campbell,  and  distinguished  clergymen,  among  whom 
was  Asa  Shinn,  who  had  heard  the  debate,  felt  called 
upon  to  come  forward  and  give  their  testimony  as  to  its 
merits.  Among  various  notices,  highly  complimentary 
to  Mr.  Campbell,  the  following  appeared  in  the  ''Philan- 
thropist" from  the  pen  of  its  editor,  Mr.  Birney,  a  dis- 
tinguished lawyer  and  a  gentleman  of  high  standing 
and  unblemished  character : 

"Although  we  attended  through  nearly  the  whole  of  the 
discussion,  we  do  not  intend  to  give  any  connected  summary 
of  the  arguments.  We  give  no  more  than  our  impressions. 
The  debate  is  in  course  of  preparation  to  be  published,  and 
we  can  confidently  say  it  will  be  found  not  only  interesting, 
but  instructive  to  its  readers  in  a  matter  about  which  we  are 
all  more  uninformed  and  supine  than  we  ought  to  be. 

"  We  found  no  reason  in  the  late  debate  for  altering  the 
opinion  we  expressed,  when  speaking  about  the  former  one, 
of  the  deficiency  of  Bishop  Purcell  in  argumentative  powers. 
He  is  evidently  a  well-read  man,  especially  in  the  history  of 
the  Roman  Church,  and  his  mind  is  handsomely  enriched 
with  the  current  literature  of  the  day.  His  mental  laboratory 
is  abundantly  replenished  with  facts.  They  seem,  however, 
rather  to  have  been  provided  for  its  garniture  than  for  any 
more  profitable  use.  In  the  employment  of  these  for  the  pur- 
poses of  manly  and  dignified  argument  he  seems,  in  our 
judgment,  exceedingly  unskilled  and  inexperienced.  This  de- 
ficiency arises,  we  apprehend,  not  so  much  from  any  feebleness 
in  any  natural  powers  as  from  erroneous  mental  training, 
which  receives  everything  that  is  Roman  Catholic  as  true, 
and  everything  that  is  not  Roman  Catholic  as  false.  The  de- 
bate of  the  first  day  satisfied  us  that  in  the  mere  struggle  be- 
tween the  disputants  there  could  be  but  little  of  interest. 
Their  strength  was  altogether  too  disproportioned  ;  and  had  it 
not  been  for  the  various  unworthy  appeals  made  by  the  bishop 
to  the  prejudices  of  the  audience  (for  these  attempts  continued 


REMARKS   OF  MR.  BIRNEY,  4^9 

throughout,  and  aggravated  as  the  end  drew  near)  to  win 
favor  by  casting  odium  on  Mr.  Campbell  personally,  we 
should  have  felt  for  him  the  same  kind  of  commiseration  that 
we  do  for  a  man  of  diminutive  bodily  size  and  feeble  powers, 
who,  although  he  is  the  aggressor,  is  receiving  from  his  over- 
grown, two-fisted  adversary  good-humored  though  long-con- 
tinued and  painful  castigation. 

"  111  as  we  thought  of  Romanism  before  on  many  grounds, 
but  chiefly  because  it  demands  of  the  great  body  of  its  rank 
and  Jile  to  surrender  to  the  *  officers  and  staff*'  the  most  pre- 
cious right  that  God  has  bestowed  on  them — the  right  of 
judging  for  themselves  on  their  most  important  concerns 
for  this  life  and  for  that  which  is  to  come — and  because  its 
management  is  mysteriously  and  sedulously  concealed  from 
the  inspection  of  the  community,  our  opinion  of  it  is  now 
tenfold  more  unfavorable.  If  Bishop  Purcell  has  made  for  it 
the  best  defence  of  which  it  is  susceptible,  or  one  that  is  even 
respectable^  it  is  a  deeply-contrived  system  of  absurdities  in 
theory  and  abominations  in  practice,  and  calls  at  once  for  ex- 
amination, that  it  may  meet  with  the  abhorrence  of  every  re- 
publican and  Christian  who  has  any  proper  regard  for  per- 
sonal liberty  or  intellectual  independence. 

"  Every  one  present  at  the  debate  must  have  wondered  at 
the  strangeness  of  the  scene  in  this  country — a  well-informed 
man,  a  good  scholar,  a  learned  man,  and  on  other  matters  ap- 
parently in  his  right  mind,  insisting  substantially,  before  an 
American  audience,  that  it  was  incumbent  on  those  who  had 
not  already  done  so  to  assign  all  their  right  of  judging  and 
determining  for  themselves  in  religious  matters  to  a  church, 
some  ?i^y  or  more  of  whose  heads  (the  popes)  were  ac- 
knowledged to  be  now,  probably,  suffering  in  penal  fires  the 
just  recompense  of  lives  spent  in  iniquity  !  Yet  this  he  did, 
and  we  doubt  not  with  all  due  sincerity.  Nor  did  it  appear 
less  strange  to  hear  such  a  one  contending  that  the  bread 
and  wine  used  in  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  were 
converted  into  the  actual  and  bona  fide  flesh  and  blood  of  the 
Saviour, 


43^         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

^'  So  far  as  Mr.  Campbell  was  concerned,  we  can  speak 
with  unalloyed  pleasure.  His  facts  were  judiciously  selected, 
his  historical  landmarks  well  chosen,  presenting,  without  the 
confusion  that  too  oflen  occurs  from  introducing  too  many 
things,  his  case  with  great  plainness  and  simplicity.  Every 
point  on  which  we  heard  him  fully,  we  thought  he  fully  sus- 
tained. And  then  it  was  all  done  with  such  unaffected  calm- 
ness, such  dispassionateness  and  an  evident  desire  to  arrive  at 
the  truth  for  the  truth's  sake  ;  with  such  Christian  forbearance 
in  the  midst  of  provoking  assaults  from  his  adversary 
(although  he  had  multiplied  opportunities  for  impaling  him), 
and  the  most  ungenerous  treatment  received  daily  from  a  part 
of  the  political  press  of  this  city,  that,  had  we  ever  before 
entertained  any  prejudices  against  Mr.  Campbell,  he  would, 
by  his  conduct,  amidst  so  many  and  such  long-continued  trials, 
have  well  nigh  dissipated  them. 

''  Toward  the  conclusion  of  the  debate,  the  bishop  increased 
in  excitement — so  much  so,  that  on  one  occasion  during  the 
afternoon  of  the  day  previous  to  its  termination,  when  he 
supposed  Mr.  Campbell  had  quoted  inaccurately  from  a 
Roman  Catholic  author,  it  appeared  almost  unnatural. 

''  But  we  must  draw  our  remarks  to  a  conclusion,  with 
these  inferences  from  what  we  know  and  from  what  we  have 
heard  of  Romanism.  It  cannot  be  made  to  consist  with  free 
political  institutions  nor  with  mental  independence.  Like 
slavery,  it  demands  all — is  content  with  nothing  less.  Its 
mode  of  warfare  is  to  imprison,  to  cramp,  to  crush  the  mind, 
knowing  that  when  this  is  accomplished  every  other  triumph 
is  easily  won. 

^^  Bad  as  is  our  opinion  of  it  in  theory  and  in  practice,  there 
is  but  one  way  of  putting  it  aside— ;/r^«  and  /air  and  gen-' 
erous  discussion.  Let  there  be  among  its  opposers  no  guilcy 
no  malice,  no  persecution,  but  give  the  truth  room,  and 
with  its  naked  and  unshorn  energies  it  will  put  this  and 
every  other  error,  however  formidable  and  securely  en- 
trenched, to  a  full  and  everlasting  flight." 

The  quotation  referred  to  by  Mr.  Birney  as  the  occa- 


MORAL    THEOLOGY  OF  LIGORL  431 

sion  of  Bishop  I^urcell's  singular  excitement  was  from 
the  Moral  Theology  of  Alphonsus  de  Ligorio,  of  which 
a  synopsis  in  English  had  been  given  by  a  Mr.  Smith, 

of  New  York,  a  convert  from  Romanism.     The  pass- 

« 

age  read  thus : 

"  A  bishop,  however  poor  he  may  be,  cannot  appropriate 
to  himself  pecuniary  lines  without  the  license  of  the  Apostolic 
See.  But  he  ought  to  apply  them  to  pious  uses.  Much  less 
can  he  apply  those  fines  to  anything  else  than  religious  uses, 
which  the  Council  of  Trent  has  laid  upon  the  non-resident 
clergymen,  or  upon  those  clergymen  who  keep  concubines*^ 
Lig.  £p.  Doc.  Mor.,  p.  444. 

Mr.  Campbell  had  introduced  this  passage  to  show 
that  amongst  the  Roman  clergy  marriage  was  a  greater 
sin  than  concubinage,  because  marriage  produced  in- 
stant excommunication,  while  concubinage  Vf2LS  fined 
and  winked  at.  Bishop  Purcell  declared  that  no  such 
doctrine  was  ever  taught  by  Catholics,  and  that  no  such 
passage  was  ever  written  by  St.  Ligori. 

"  I  have  examined,"  said  he,  "  these  volumes,"  pointing  to 
the  nine  volumes  of  Ligori  on  the  stand,  *'  from  cover  to  cover, 
and  in  none  of  them  can  so  mruch  as  a  shadow  be  found  for 
the  infamous  charges.  I  have  pledged  myself  to  show  to 
every  man  of  honor  in  the  city  that  the  last  allegation  read 
by  the  gentleman,  purporting  to  be  from  the  works  of  Ligori, 
is  not  to  be  found  in  the  works  of  that  author." 

The  bishop  then  called  on  Professor  Biggs  to  ex- 
amine the  nine  volumes  of  Ligori  to  see  if  he  could  find 
the  passage  referred  to  by  Mr.  Smith.     But  the  pro- 

• 

fessor  finding  that  the  paging  did  not  accord  with  that 
of  the  edition  used  by  Mr.  Smith,  declined  examining 
farther.  The  bishop  then  referred  the  case  to  Mr. 
Kinmont,  a  classical  teacher  in  the  city,  who,  after  hav- 


432        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

ing  had  a  day  to  examine,  was  brought  upon  the  stage 
by  the  bishop  and  testified  that  he  had  not  been  able  to 
find  the  passage.  Great  excitement  was  naturally  pro- 
duced by  the  directness  of  the  issue  thus  formed,  and 
the  vast  importance  which  the  bishop  seemed  to  attach 
to  it.  Mr.  Campbell  not  being  able  to  find  the  passage 
from  the  reference  in  Mr.  Smith's  synopsis,  promised  to 
investigate  the  matter,  and  F.  W.  Emmons,  who  was 
present,  having  at  his  request  despatched  a  note  to  Mr. 
Smith  upon  the  subject,  received  from  him  at  once  a 
repl3s  stating  that  the  passage  in  question  was  on  page 
444  of  the  eighth  volume.  Upon  receiving  this  com- 
munication, Mr.  Campbell  asked  from  Bishop  Purcell 
the  loan  of  St.  Ligori's  works,  and  on  turning  to  page 
444,  volume  eighth, yj?««rf  every  word  in  the  bishojfi's 
own  edition  just  as  had  been  quoted.  He  then  took  the 
original  Latin  and  the  synopsis  of  Mr.  Smith  to  Mr. 
Kinmont,  who  then  certified  that  the  version  of  Smith, 
as  quoted,  was  a  faithful  translation  of  the  passage. 
The  bishop's  emphatic  denial  of  the  existence  of  such  a 
doctrine  in  the  moral  theology  of  Rome,  had,  at  the 
time,  considerable  eflfect  in  creating  doubt  upon  the 
subject,  but  the  result  of  the  investigation  greatly  in- 
jured the  c^use  he  defended  and  justly  served  to 
throw  discredit  upon  his  frequent  denials  and  denuncia- 
tions during  the  debate  in  regard  to  other  authorities 
and  evidences  which  Mr.  Campbell  adduced  in  support 
of  his  propositions.  The  people  could  hardly  impute  to 
ignorance  of  the  "  Moral  Theology"  of  his  own  Church 
or  of  the  writings  of  St.  Ligori,  his  positive  averments 
that  no  such  doctrine  as  the  one  in  question  was  held 
by  Roman  Catholics,  and  were  consequently  led  to  at- 
tribute his  bold  denials  to  motives  to  which  the  applica- 
tion of  the  epithet  '« moraV^  was  as  inappropriate  as  it 


DISCUSSION  OF  UNIVBRSALISM.  433 

was  to  his  "Theology"  itself,  but  certainly  quite  as 
much  needed  for  the  information  of  the  credulous. 

The  discussion  terminated  greatly  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  Protestant  clergy  of  Cincinnati  and  vicinity, 
among  whom  was  -the  celebrated  Lyman  Beecher,  and 
they  concurred  in  bestowing  upon  Mr.  Campbell  the 
warmest  commendations.  It  had  a  happy  effect  also 
in  disabusing  them  of  much  of  the  prejudice  they  enter- 
tained against  him,  and  of  gaining  for  his  plea  for  primi- 
tive Christianity  a  more  candid  hearing.  The  Roman 
Catholics,  on  the  other  hand,  continued  to  employ  as 
usual  every  means  in  their  power  to  throw  discredit 
upon  him  and  to  conceal  the  discomfiture  of  their 
champion.  The  debate,  when  published,  had  a  very 
extensive  sale,  and  a  powerful  effect  in  exposing  to  the 
community  at  large  the  false  pretensions  and  dangerous 
tendencies  of  the  Roman  hierarchy,  and  raised  Mr. 
Campbell  to  a  much  higher  position  than  he  had  yet 
attained  in  the  estimation  of  the  public.  His  share  of 
the  proceeds  arising  from  the  sale  of  the  book  he 
donated  to  the  '*  American  and  Foreign  Bible  Society" 
•and  to  the  *'  American  Bible  Society"  in  equal  portions. 
Early  in  1838,  eight  hundred  dollars  had  already  accrued 
from  the  copyright,  which  was  six  cents  per  copy. 

Prior  to  the  Catholic  debate,  Mr.  Campbell  had  re- 
ceived overtures  for  a  written  discussion  of  Universal- 
ism  with  a  Mr.  Skinner,  who  was  one  of  the  most 
prominent  of  its  defenders.  This  accordingly  com- 
menced immediately  afterward,  and  was  continued  in 
the  **  Harbinger"  for  more  than  two  years.  As  much 
of  it  consisted  in  mere  debates  about  words  and  critic- 
isms upon  translations  of  certain  words,  it  excited  but 
little  interest;  and  though  Mr.  Campbell  clearly  con- 
futed the  Universalist  arguments,  and  proved  the  cer- 

voL.  II.— 2  C  37 


434         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

tainty  of  future  punishment  from  the  Scriptures,  Mr. 
Skinner's  quibbling  and  abusive  course  in  the  dis- 
cussion led  him  to  employ  a  severity  distasteful  both 
to  himself  and  to  his  readers,  so  that  he  regretted 
having  agreed  to  allow  Mr.  Skinner  space  for  a  spe- 
cified number  of  essays,  and  that  he  could  not  promptly 
dismiss  his  captious  cavils  from  the  pages  of  the  "  Har- 
binger." Far  different  in  tone  and  character  was  the 
discussion  which  Mr.  Campbell  carried  on  during  a 
portion  of  the  same  period  with  S.  W.  Lynd,  a  talented 
Baptist  minister  of  Cincinnati,  upon  the  interminable 
subject  of  converting  power,  Mr.  Campbell  still  oppos- 
ing the  popular  doctrine  of  a  regeneration  before  faith, 
or  the  necessity  of  special  spiritual  operations  to  enable 
sinners  to  believe  the  gospel,  as  calculated  to  make  the 
word  of  God  of  none  effect,  and  as  a  modem  theologi- 
cal theory  without  any  scriptural  evidence  of  its  truth. 

"  But,"  said  he,  "  in  rejecting  these  speculative  traditions 
of  the  elders,  I  am  very  far  from  rejecting  the  Spirit  him- 
self as  necessary  to  our  sanctiHcation  and  salvation.  God 
our  Father  gave  his  Son  for  us,  and  he  gives  his  Spirit  to  us. 
The  promise  of  his  Son  was  a  peculiar  glory  of  the  Old 
Testament,  while  the  promise  of  his  Spirit  is  the  distinguish- 
ing excellency  of  the  New.  By  the  sacrifice  of  his  Son  the 
guilt  of  sin  is  taken  from  us ;  by  the  power  and  grace  of  his 
Holy  Spirit  the  power  of  sin  is  subdued  within  us. 

"  Nor  do  we  think  it  necessary  to  inquire  how  or  in  what 
manner  the  Spirit  operates  through  the  truth  on  our  spiritual 
nature  before  we  confidently  ask  for  his  presence,  power  and 
comfort.  It  is  enough  to  know  that  the  Holy  Spirit  has  been 
promised  and  that  we  are  commanded  to  ask  for  it.  In  no 
other  matter  would  a  person  wait  till  he  understood  how  a 
favor  was  to  be  bestowed  before  he  asked  for  it.  We  have  a 
command  to  ask,  to  seek,  to  knock,  and  th^  promise  of  re- 
ceiving, finding  and  obtaining  all  that  we  ask  in  faith,  and 


CORRECTION  OF  EXTREMES.  435 

all  that  we  could  wish  on  the  subject.  Our  duty  is  plain, 
however  mysterious  our  philosophy ;  our  privileges  are  clear, 
however  dark  our  metaphysics  may  be." 

About  this  time  a  somewhat  protracted  discussion  was 
carried  on  in  the  "  Harbinger"  in  relation  to  the  posi- 
tion of  unimmersed  believers  to  the  Christian  Church. 
In  this  M.  S.  Clapp,  T.  M.  Henley,  M.  Winans  and 
others  took  part,  and  it  became  evident  \hat  a  wide- 
spread conviction  existed  that  the  term  Christian  could 
not,  in  its  scriptural,  legitimate  and  full  sense,  be  ap- 
plied to  any  except  those  who  had  been  baptized  into 
Christ  according  to  the  primitive  model.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, admitting  this,  urged,  nevertheless,  that  the  term 
had  now  come  to  be  applied  to  the  character^  rather 
than,  as  in  the  beginning,  to  the  state  or  profession  of 
an  individual,  arid  that  in  this  respect  it  might  be  em- 
ployed, or  that  they  who  manifested  the  character  of 
Christians,  even  though  mistaken  in  regard  to  baptism, 
might  be  called  at  least  disciples  of  Christy  as  this 
designation  was  used  in  Scripture  of  those  who  were  as 
yet  but  imperfectly  acquainted  with  the  nature  and  in- 
stitutions of  the  gospel.  Among  the  reasons  which  led 
Mr.  Campbell  to  give  place  to  the  discussion  of  this 
subject  at  the  time,  he  mentions  several,  such  as  that 
some  professed  Reformers  "  were  too  much  addicted  to 
denouncing  the  sects  and  representing  them  en  masse 
as  wholly  antichristian  and  corrupt."  .   .  . 

*'  These  very  zealous  brethren,"  continued  he,  "  gave  coun- 
tenance to  the  popular  clamor  that  we  make  baptism  a  saviour 
or  a  passport  to  heaven,  disparaging  all  the  private  and  social 
virtues  of  the  professing  public."  He  gives  as  another  reason 
that  he  had  been  accused  of  ^*  aspiring  to  build  up  and  head 
a  party" — an  impression  which  he  desired  to  remove.  He 
showed  that  from  the  very  beginning  the  Reformation  had 


43^         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

called  upon  the  people  of  God  among  the  different  parties  to 
come  out  from  among  them  and  unite  upon  the  true  and  origi- 
nal ^*  foundation  upon  which  all  Christians  might  form  one  com- 
munion," and  that  in  the  "  Christian  Baptist"  and  the  "  Har- 
binger" he  had  often  expressed  similar  views.  He  regarded 
*' a  conciliatory,  meek  and  benevolent  attitude"  on  the  part 
of  the  Reformers  "  not  only  the  most  comely  and  Christian- 
like, but  the  most  successful  in  bringing  men  to  understand 
the  gospel."  '"  Many  of  the  Protestant  teachers  and  their 
communities,"  said  he,  *'  are  much  better  disposed  to  us  than 
formerly,  and  I  conclude  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  many 
of  them  will  unite  with  us.  They  must  certainly  come  over 
to  us  whenever  thev  come  to  the  Bible  alone." 

The  evidences  of  this  favorable  change  in  the  feel- 
ings of  most  of  the  religious  parties  was  indeed  con- 
stantly accumulating.  The  debate  with  Bishop  Purcell 
had  awakened  a  considerable  degrfee  of  sympathy 
among  Protestants,  who  had  been  somewhat  surprised 
to  see  one  whom  they  had  mistaken  for  a  foe  become 
the  defender  of  the  great  truths  and  doctrines  which 
they  cherished  in  common.  They  began  accordingly 
to  examine  more  dispassionately  Mr.  Campbell's  wri- 
tings, and  to  perceive  more  clearly  through  the  break- 
ing mists  of  prejudice  the  truly  catholic  character  of 
the  principles  which  he  advocated. 

Op  the  24th  of  June  of  this  year  (1837)  another  son 
was  born  to  him,  to  whom,  from  his  unbounded  admir- 
ation for  the  great  English  Reformer,  he  gave  the  name 
of  Wickliffe.  During  the  fall,  he  attended  the-  meet- 
ing of  the  College  of  Teachers  at  Cincinnati,  at  which, 
to  his  high  gratification,  a  resolution  was  passed  to  the 
effect,  *'  That  in  the  judgment  of  the  College,  the  Bible 
should  be  introduced  into  every  school,  from  the  lowest 
to  the  highest,  as  a  school-book."  To  this  was  added, 
at  Mr.  Campbell's  instance,  an  amendment,  seconded 


DISCOMFITURE   OF  MR,  STTLES.  437 

by  Bishop  Purcell,  that  the  Bible  should  be  **  without 
denominational  or  sectarian  comment."  From  Cincin- 
nati he  visited  Dayton  and  spoke  three  times,  and  from 
thence  proceeded  to  Versailles,  Kentucky,  where  he 
held  a  three  days'  meeting.  The  succeeding  day 
(Monday)  he  devoted  to  a  conference  with  a  Presby- 
terian preacher,  a  Mr.  Styles,  who  for  a  number  of 
months  had  been  loudly  inveighing  against  the  views  • 
which  he  imputed  to  the  Reformers,  and  had  vauntingly 
called  upon  them  to  bring  Mr.  Campbell  to  defend  them. 
At  the  conference,  however,  he  declined  to  attempt  to 
sustain  his  allegations,  for  which  he  apologized  by  im- 
puting them .  to  his  peculiar  temperament,  and  agreed 
to  give  Mr.  Campbell  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  if  he 
would  concur  with  him  in  the  position  that  the  Spirit 
accompanied  the  Word  in  conversion.  Mr.  Campbell 
replied  that  "  this  was  not  a  point  of  controversy  be- 
tween  him  and  the  Presbyterians ;  and  that  whether  true 
or  false,  this  doctrine  was  comparatively  innocent,  be- 
cause it  led  men  to  the  Bible  and  to  expect  no  saving 
light  or  health  but  through  the  written  Word.  But  the 
theory  he  opposed  was  that  of  a  holy  principle  wrought 
in  the  heart  before  and  without  any  knowledge  of  the 
Word,  by  a  special  act  of  the  Spirit.  Hence  he  would 
debate  only  this  dogma  of  spiritual  influence  without 
the  Word,  because  this  certainly  made  the  word  of  God 
of  none  effect,  and  had  opened  the  door  for  all  the  en- 
thusiasm and  fanaticism  of  latter  times." 

Mr.  Styles  replied  that  he  did  not  believe  this  doc- 
trine, and  that  the  Presbyterians  did  not  teach  it,  and 
brought  forward  the  Confession  of  Faith  to  prove  his 
assertion.  Mr.  Campbell  took  the  same  Confession  and 
showed  that  it  did  teach  it,  but  said  he  would  settle  the 
matter  with  a  single  question,  viz. :  Did  he  not  believe 

87  • 


438 


MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL. 


and  teach  that  infants,  even  elect  infants,  dying  in  in-- 
fancy  must  be  regenerated  in  order  to  salvation?  Mr. 
Styles  declined  to  answer  this  question,  and  appeared 
so  entirely  disconcerted  and  unnerved  in  the  presence 
of  Mr.  Campbell  and  the  large  audience  assembled, 
that  he  could  not  be  induced  to  enter  upon  any  discus- 
sion whatever.  As  he  had  previously  attracted  a  good 
9  deal  of  attention  and  stood  high  as  a  man  of  abilities, 
his  discomfiture  under  the  circumstances  was  of  no 
small  detriment  to  the  cause  of  Presbyterianism  in  Ken- 
tucky. After  leaving  Versailles,  Mr.  Campbell,  on  his 
return,  spoke  at  Lexington  and  Georgetown,  and  taking 
a  boat  at  Cincinnati  along  with  Walter  Scott  and  P.  B. 
Pendleton  of  Virginia,  arrived  safely  at  Bethany  on 
the  24th  of  October. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

Religious  society  modified— Estimate  of  labors — Dr.  Thomas— Tour  to  the 
South — Letters — Bereavements — Education — Bethany  College. 

THE  success  which  had  thus  far  attended  Mr.  Camp- 
bell's efforts  to  remodel  religious  society  had  been 
remarkable.  The  text  which  he  had  chosen  when  he 
delivered  his  first  discourse  at  the  organization  of  the 
little  Brush  Run  Church  in  the  secluded  valley  of 
Buffalo  had  been  literally  and  fully  verified  :  "  Though 
thy  beginning  be  small,  thy  latter  end  shall  greatly  in- 
crease." Already  numerous  flourishing  churches  in 
almost  all  the  States  of  the  Union,  as  well  as  in  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland  and  the  British  Provinces,  were 
keeping  the  ordinances  as  enjoined  by  the  apostles,  and 
holding  forth  the  Word  of  Life  in  its  primitive  simplicity 
and  power.  Already  had  large  and  respectable  relig- 
ious bodies  yielded  to  the  reformatory  principles,  and, 
abandoning  human  theories  and  traditions,  formed  a 
firm  and  happy  union  upon  the  Bible  alone.  Still  more 
had  the  divine  efficiency  of  the  original  gospel  been  dis- 
played in  the  conversion  of  thousands  of  the  most  intelli- 
gent portion  of  society,  and  in  its  steady  and  onward 
progress  amidst  the  hostile  ranks  of  sectarian  opposition. 
Nor  was  the  influence  of  the  truth  less  manifest  to  the 
thoughtful  and  observing  in  the  changes  and  modifica- 
tions enforced  upon  almost  all  the  Protestant  communi- 
tiesy  both  in  their  teaching  and  in  their  practice. 

439 


440        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

These  changes,  indeed,  slowly  and  reluctantly  con- 
ceded by  the  spiritual  rulers  to  satisfy  the  awakened 
spirit  of  inquiry  and  to  secure  what  might  remain  of 
clerical  authority,  were  doubtfully  acknowledged  by 
some,  and  even  positively  denied  by  others  who  wished 
to  conceal  unpleasing  facts.  They  were,  however,  per- 
fectly obvious  to  all  who  had  watched  the  progress  of 
events,  or  who  chose  to  compare  the  existing  liberalized 
tone  of  religious  society  with  the  intense  bigotry  and  ac- 
tive divisive  spirit  which  formerly  prevailed.  The  idea 
of  the  possibility  of  a  universal  Christian  union  upon  the 
Bible  alone  had  insensibly  pervaded  a  large  portion  of 
the  religious  world,  and  human  standards  had  lost  much 
of  their  usurped  and  arbitrary  domination  over  the  con- 
sciences of  men.  Their  feeble  and  uncertain  light  had 
grown  pale  before  the  bright  beams  of  divine  truth 
now  shed  forth  by  the  Bible  as  held  aloft  in  the  hands 
of  Mr.  Campbell,  and  whose  radiance  multitudes  every- 
where now  began  to  enjoy  without  recognizing  immedi- 
ately the  source  from  which  it  emanated.  Hence,  when 
Mr.  Campbell's  opponents  in  those  communities  which 
had  been  thus  modified  by  his  influence  jeeringly  asked 
the  Reformers,  **  Wherein  do  you  excel?"  "Is  this 
your  boasted  Reformation  ?"  he  justly  replied : 

^'  I  should  be  pleased  to  compare  notes  and  the  present  state 
and  history  of  the  Baptist  society  and  other  societies  around 
us,  with  their  state  and  standing  when  we  first  said  Reform ! 
We  have  much  to  say  on  this  subject  whenever  our  brethren 
are  seriously  disposed  to  canvass  this  matter  with  that  sincerity 
and  gravity  which  it  demands.  Meanwhile,  though  it  may 
appear  invidious  were  I  to  institute  such  a  comparison,  I 
would  say,  as  I  said  to  the  Roman  Catholic  bishop  at  Cincin- 
nati, when  he  asked,  with  regard  to  Protestants^  where  they 
had  reformed :  ^  Sir,  said  I,  ^  when  I  wish  to  compare  Prot- 
estants and  Roman  Catholics  in  those  respects  of  which  you 


HUMBLENESS  OF  MIND.  441 

speak,  I  do  not  compare  Protestants  with  the  Romanists 
which  live  among  them,  and  have  been  in  part  enlightened  or 
reformed  by  them  ;  but  when  I  draw  the  invidious  comparison 
which  you  institute,  I  select  a  society  of  pure  and  unmixed 
Catholics  in  New  Spain  or  Old  Spain,  and  alongside  of  those 
I  place  a  congregation  of  American  Protestants.'  " 

Amidst  all  his  successes,  however,  and  though  con- 
sciously wielding  a  prodigious  influence  over  the  minds 
of  a  large  portion  of  the  religious  world,  Mr.  Campbell 
never  for  a  moment  entertained  the  thought  of  becoming 
the  head  of  a  party  or  of  allowing  himself  to  be  recog- 
nized as  thit /bunder  of  a  religious  denomination.  Thus, 
when,  at  New  Orleans,  one  of  the  papers  so  represented 
him  in  announcing  his  appointments  there,  he  at  once 
addressed  to  the  editors  the  following  note  : 

"  To  THE  Editors  of  the  Commercial  Bulletin  : 

"  Gentlemen  :  Allow  me  to  thank  you  for  the  kind  and 
complimentary  notice  which  you  gave,  in  your  issue  of  the 
13th  inst.,  of  my  arrival  in  your  city. 

"  I  also  feel  very  grateful  to  the  ministers  and  members  of 
the  Methodist  Church  for  tendering  me  the  use  of  their  house 
of  worship  for  Lord's  day  evening,  and  regret  that  it  is  not  in 
my  power  to  accept  it. 

"  You  have  done  me,  gentlemen,  too  much  honor  in  saying 
that  I  am  the  ^  founder*  of  the  denomination,  quite  numerous 
and  respectable  in  many  portions  of  the  West,  technically 
known  as  ^  Christians,'  but  more  commonly  as  ^  Campbellites.* 

*"*"  I  have  always  repudiated  all  human  heads  and  human 
names  for  the  people  of  the  Lord,  and  shall  feel  very  thankful 
if  you  will  correct  the  erroneous  impression  which  your  arti- 
cle may  have  made  in  thus  representing' me  as  the  founder  of 
a  religious  denomination. 

"  With  very  great  respect,  I  am  yours, 

"A.  Campbell. 
'*  New  Orleans,  March  14." 

Nor  was  he  at  any  time  unwilling  to  acknowledge  his 


.^2    MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

liability  to  err,  and  to  admit  that  in  the  various  trying^ 
circumstances  in  which  he  had  been  placed,  he  had 
committed,  unwittingly,  mistakes  and  uttered  unguarded 
expressions. 

^^  It  is  not  for  us,"  said  he,  in  1838,  in  speaking  of  the 
events  of  1 823-1827,  "  to  form  a  proper  estimate  of  our  own 
labors  or  of  those  of  others ;  we  are  not  good  judges  of  such 
matters,  and  therefore  I  ^presume  not  to  do  so.  I  leave  this 
matter  to  tlie  judgment-day.  .  .  . 

^^  It  is  a  common  cause  in  which  all  are  engaged,  and  much 
has  been  done  and  much  is  doing  by  many  distinguished 
brethren,  of  whom  I  am  persuaded  better  things  than  that 
they  labor  for  a  temporal  prize,  or  for  the  comparative  honors 
that  human  breath  can  bestow.  We  have  all  more  credit 
than  we  deserve ;  for  we  ought  to  have  learned,  years  before 
we  did,  what  the  Christian  institution  is  in  all  its  parts  from 
such  competent  instruction  as  the  New  Testament  affords. 

"  I  will  say,  with  Father  Campbell,  to  whom,  under  God, 
the  friends  of  Reformation  (not  to  draw  an  invidious  com- 
parison) are  as  much  indebted  as  to  any  living  man.  if  the 
Lord  will  graciously  forgive  all  I  have  done  wrong  in  plead- 
ing his  cause,  I  shall  be  perfectly  content  with  the  humblest 
place  in  his  everlasting  kingdom,  and  to  unite  with  all  my 
brethren  in  lauding  that  mysterious  and  overwhelming  grace 
which  condescended  to  save  our  sinful  persons  and  accept 
such  unworthy  services  at  our  hands." 

The  occasion  of  these  remarks  was  a  tendency  for  a 
time,  on  the  part  of  Walter  Scott,  to  exalt  beyond  mea- 
sure the  importance  of  the  practical  restoration  of  the 
design  of  baptism,  and  to  claim  that  this  was  in  reality 
the  restoration  of  the  gospel.  Mr.  Campbell  could  not, 
with  his  more  enlarged  views,  regard  this,  or  any  other 
particular  development  of  truth  in  the  progress  of  the 
Reformation,  as  the  restoration  of  the  gospel — an  honor 
which  he  urged  might,  with  even  more  propriety,  be 


JOHN  THOMAS,  443 

claimed  for  the  restoration  of  the  primitive  confession 
of  faith  in  Christ.  He  accordingly  deprecated  any 
partial  views  of  this  nature,  and  any  unjust  comparisons 
which  were  calculated  to  create  rivalry  and  strife  among 
those  who  were  engaged  in  a  common  cause.  His 
humble  estimate  of  his  own  labors  and  his  frank  ad- 
mission of  imperfection  in  his  best  endeavors,  together 
with  his  well-timed  former  "  Letters  of  Epaphras,"  and 
the  replies  in  the  "  Harbinger,"  had  the  happiest  effect 
in  correcting  errors  and  eccentricities  which,  if  less 
kindly  and  prudently  treated,  might  have  resulted  in 
still  greater  evils,  and  compromised,  in  some  measure, 
the  success  of  the  Reformation  itself. 

It  was  also  his  remarkably  firm  adherence  to  the 
original  principles  and  primitive  spirit  of  the  Ref- 
ormation which  led  him  to  oppose  publicly  about  this 
period  certain  materialistic  speculations  broached  by 
one  who,  for  a  time,  had  promised  to  become  an  efficient 
coadjutor  in  the  cause.  This  was  a  young  Englishman 
of  the  name  of  John  Thomas,  a  physician,  who,  soon 
after  his  arrival  at  Cincinnati,  had  been  baptized  by 
Walter  Scott.  After  paying  a  visit  to  Bethany,  where 
he  was  hospitably  entertained  by  Mr.  Campbell,  he 
went  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  remained  for  some 
time  in  connection  with  the  church  there,  and  where  he 
had  proposed  to  establish  a  periodical.  Hoping,  how- 
ever, to  find  a  better  field  in  Eastern  Virginia,  he  re- 
moved to  Richmond,  and  there  commenced  the  pub- 
lication of  the  * 'Apostolic  Advocate."  Ambitious  of 
distinction,  fluent  and  captivating  as  a  public  speaker, 
and  manifesting,  especially  in  his  writings,  a  bold  spirit 
of  independence,  he  soon  acquired  a  considerable  de- 
gree of  popularity.  Being  unfortunately,  however,  self- 
confident  in  his  disposition,  and  having  imperfectly  com- 


444         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

prehended  the  principles  of  the  Reformation,  he  soon 
began  to  evince  a  spirit  of  dogmatism  and  of  opinionative- 
ness  wholly  inconsistent  with  them.  This  was  first 
shown  in  his  refusing  to  recognize  religiously  or  even 
pray  with  any  who  had  not  submitted  to  the  gospel  as 
he  understood  it,  and  in  his  bold  advocacy  of  the  doc- 
trine that  immersion,  as  practiced  by  the  Baptists,  was 
invalid.  By  his  specious  reasonings  several  who  had 
been  Baptists  became  unsettled  in  regard  to  their  bap- 
tism, and  Albert  Anderson  and  a  few  others  were  in- 
duced to  submit  to  reimmersion.  It  was  the  Baptists 
themselves,  indeed,  who,  some  time  before,  had  origi- 
nated the  practice  of  reimmersion,  having  required  it 
of  some  who  had  been  baptized  by  the  Reformers  and 
who  wished  afterward  to  unite  with  the  Baptist  Church. 
Mr.  Campbell  had,  however,  always  been  entirely  op- 
posed to  the  practice  of  reimmersion  upon  such  trivial 
grounds  as  were  alleged  in  favor  of  it,  believing  it  to 
be  in  all  cases  valid  where  there  was  a  sincere  belief  in 
Christ,  however  uninformed  the  baptized  person  might 
be  at  the  time  with  regard  to  the  nature  or  design  of  the 
institution.  Nothing,  he  justly  thought,  could  ever 
justify  reimmersion,  except  a  consciousness  on  the 
part  of  the  individual  that  at  his  first  baptism  he  was 
destitute  of  faith  in  Christ.  Dr.  Thomas,  however,  in 
his  zeal  against  sectarianism,  seemed  disposed  to  nullify 
all  the  proceedings  of  the  religious  parties  and  to  estab- 
lish his  own  opinions  and  decisions  in  the  chair  of  in- 
fallibility. His  positive  assertions  on  the  subject  of  re- 
baptism  were  well  calculated  to  disturb  weak  minds, 
and  several  individuals,  even,  who  had  been  baptized  by 
Reformers  and  for  the  remission  of  sins,  began  to  doubt 
their  former  obedience  and  to  solicit  reimmersion. 
Among  these  was  the  wife  of  Dr.  Thomas   himself. 


VAIN  THEORIES.  445 

who  had  become  thus  disquieted  in  her  mind,  though 
formerly  baptized  on  a  profession  of  her  faith  by  D.  S. 
Burnet. 

From  his  personal  regard  for  Dr.  Thomas  and  un- 
willingness to  discuss  a  subject  so  unprofitable,  Mr. 
Campbell  long  forbore  to  notice,  publicly,  the  course 
pursued  by  him,  but  was  obliged  at  length  by  his  per- 
sistency to  express  in  the  *'  Harbinger"  his  dissent  from 
such  views.  This  duty  he  performed  in  a  mild  spirit, 
hoping  that  Dr.  Thomas  would  be  induced  to  abandon 
his  course.  This  expectation,  however,  was  not  ful- 
filled, for  the  doctor  going  on  to  broach  various  mate- 
rialistic theories  in  regard  to  the  nature  of  the  human 
soul,  the  state  of  the  dead,  etc.,  and  evincing  a  deter- 
mination to  dwell  upon  these  untaught  questions,  Mr. 
Campbell  was  finally  reluctantly  compelled  to  reprove 
publicly  his  factious  course,  and  to  expose  in  an  Ex- 
tra published  December,  1837,  ^^^  vain  and  idle  spec- 
ulations. 

In  this,  as  the  doctor  had  perverted  the  freedom  of 
discussion  and  of  opinion  allowed  in  the  Reformation 
into  license,  Mr.  Campbell  found  it  necessary  to  restate 
its  leading  principle,  that  *'  opinions  upon  all  subjects 
not  revealed  were  to  be  private  property,  and  that  no 
citizen  of  Christ's  kingdom  had  a  right  either  to  demand 
or  propound  them  with  any  authority  whatever." 

"  Liberty  of  speech  and  of  the  press,"  said  he,  '*  is  not  with 
rae  licentious  extravagance  nor  disregard  for  the  opinions  of 
others ;  nor  is  the  proper  use  of  our  rights  the  sustaining  of 
every  restless  demagogical  spirit  who  will  be  conspicuous  for 
something — for  anything.  On  all  Bible  facts,  precepts,  prom-  ' 
ises  and  declarations,  on  all  its  various  documents,  ordinance$ 
and  statutes,  we  go  for  full  and  free  discussion  ;  but  we  say  it 
is  abhorrent  to  the  Reformation  for  which  we  plead  to  prop- 

38 


446         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

agate  mere  opinions  and  speculations ;  and  that  it  is  entirely 
off  the  ground  we  occupy  to  favor  those  who  devote  their 
tongue  or  their  pens  to  build  up  any  theory,  ancient  or  modem, 
original  or  borrowed." 

Leaving  then  the  doctor's  case  to  the  church  of  which 
he  was  a  member,  Mr.  Campbell  resolved  to  dismiss 
the  subject.  As  the  doctor  had  recently  removed  to 
Amelia  county,  a  small  congregation  there  under  his 
influence  undertook  to  justify  him,  but  the  church  at 
Richmond,  where  his  membership  still  remained,  at 
once  repudiated  both  him  and  his  speculations. 

Having  received  many  urgent  calls  from  the  South- 
em  States,  Mr.  Campbell,  in  the  fall  of  1838,  deter- 
mined to  make  them  a  visit.  Setting  out  accordingly 
on  the  8th  of  October,  accompanied  by  his  daughter 
Lavinia  and  Joseph  Henley,  he  proceeded,  by  way  of 
Baltimore,  to  Washington.  On  the  way  from  thence 
to  Fredericksburg,  he  was  accompanied  by  William 
Carman,  a  warm  friend  and  worthy  member  of  the 
church  in  Baltimore,  and  also  found  himself  seated  in 
the  stage  with  Bishop  Meade,  of  Virginia,  with  whom 
he  had  a  long  conversation,  and  with  whose  liberality, 
candor  and  good-nature  he  was  much  pleased.  At 
Fredericksbug  he  was  met  by  R.  L.  Coleman,  who,  he 
remarks  in  his  journal,  *•  continued  with  us  the  whole 
time  in  Virginia,  much  to  our  gratification  and  comfort." 

"  We  found,"  he  adds,  "  our  brethren,  Bagby,  of  Louisa, 
and  Henshall,  of  Richmond,  waiting  for  our  ^arrival  at  our  old 
friend  Woolfolk's,  of  Caroline.  The  former  was  with  us  at 
several  points,  and  the  latter  continued  in  our  company  till 
we  arrived  at  Richmond.  We  met  our  much  esteemed 
brethren,  Henley,  Du  Val  and  Pendleton,  with  many  others 
at  Antioch ;  and  so  continued  to  meet  at  every  point  other 
brethren  of  note  among  the  disciples  till  we  arrived  at  Bro- 
ther Carter's,  in  the  environs  of  Richmond. 


QUADRANGULAR   ORTHODOXr.  447 

"At  Newton,  King-and-Queen  county,  we  had  a  very 
pleasing  interview  with  our  old  friend  Andrew  Broaddus. 
He  attended  our  meeting,  and  favored  us  with  a  little  friendly 
conversation  on  incidental  topics.  He  enjoys  good  health, 
but  like  most  men  in  the  environs  of  seventy,  is  evidently  de- 
scending the  hill  of  life.  It  would  be  a  consummation  de- 
voutly to  be  wished  could  he,  before  he  passes  the  Jordan  of 
Time,  induce  his  brethren  to  rescind  their  ^Orders  in  Coun- 
cil^ and  to  open  their  ears  to  a  candid  consideration  of  the 
points  at  issue  between  them  and  us.  It  would  do  them  no 
harm  to  move  forward  a  few  paces  toward  the  primitive  sim- 
plicity of  the  gospel  and  to  the  practice  of  the  ancient  insti- 
tutions of  Christ.  They  would  not  have  to  give  up  any  truth 
in  admitting  all  we  contend  for,  as  many  of  them  now  con- 
cede. We  only  ask  for  a  renunciation  of  human  traditions ; 
and  wherever  they  are  found  they  ought  to  be  abandoned. 
The  word  of  the  Lord  shall  stand  for  ever,  but  the  counsels 
of  men  shall  come  to  nothing." 

Mr.  Campbell  had  resolved  not  to  pay  any  farther  at- 
tention to  the  speculative  errors  with  which  Dr.  Thomas 
and  some  of  his  adherents  were  disturbing  the  churches 
in  Virginia.  Finding,  however,  that  these  pernicious 
teachings  were  persisted  in  by  some  two  or  three  indi- 
viduals in  almost  every  church,  he  found  himself  com- 
pelled to  speak,  first  in  private  and  then  publicly, 
against  these  roots  of  discord.  Passing  on  from  Rich- 
mond to  Charlottesville,  he  spoke  there  four  times  and 
twice  in  Scottsville,  in  the  same  county.  The  students 
of  the  University  greatly  desired  to  have  him  deliver 
a  special  address  to  them,  but  failed  to  obtain  per- 
mission, owing  to  what  Mr.  Campbell  wittily  styled  the 
quadrangular  orthodoxy  of  the  establishment,  which 
required  the  chaplain  to  be  either  an  Episcopalian,  a 
Presbyterian,  a  Methodist,  or  a  Baptist.  After  visiting 
Monticello  and  the  grave  of  Jefferson,  he  passed  down 


448         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

into  Amelia  county,  and  sent  word  to  Dr.  Thomas  that 
he  would  be  at  Painesville  on  Monday,  and  would  there 
examine  publicly  the  views  which  the  doctor  had  pre- 
sented in  a  discussion  he  had  recently  held  with  Mr. 
Watt,  a  Presbyterian  preacher,  and  that  if  he  chose  to 
attend  he ,  should  have  liberty  to  reply.  To  this  ar- 
rangement the  doctor  agreed,  and  after  the  matters 
objected  to  by  Mr.  Campbell  had  been  discussed  for 
several  days  with  the  utmost  equanimity  and  good  feel- 
ing, but  without  any  prospect  of  coming  to  agreement 
in  opinion,  Dr.  Reuben  H.  Dejarnette,  during  recess, 
took  Mr.  Campbell  aside,  and  reminding  him  of  his 
expressed  desire  to  recover  Dr.  Thomas,  if  possible, 
from  his  errors,  and  not  to  push  the  discussion  so  far  as 
to  injure  him  or  drive  him  wholly  from  the  Reforma- 
tion, suggested  to  him  to  refer  the  matters  in  debate  to 
the  brethren  present,  as  he  was  convinced  that  the 
doctor's  speculations  were  suflSciently  exposed.  To 
this  proposition  Mr.  Campbell  assented,  reser\'ing  the 
right  of  rejecting  the  action  of  the  referees  if  he  should 
find  it  necessary.  Dr.  Dejarnette  then  proposed  to  Dr. 
Thomas  to  refer  the  matter  to  the  brethren,  to  which  he 
agreed,  and  the  proposed  reference  was  then  publicly 
announced  and  the  discussion  terminated.  In  order  to 
avoid,  however,  an  abrupt  dismissal  of  the  audience,  it 
was  agreed  that  each  speaker  should  deliver  a  short 
address  on  some  general  topic  before  concluding.  Some 
twenty-three  of  the  principal  brethren  then  met,  and 
after  duly  considering  the  questions  of  difference,  framed 
the  following  resolution : 

^^ Resolved^  That  whereas  certain  things  believed  and  prop- 
agated by  Dr.  Thomas,  in  relation  to  the  mortality  of  man, 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead  and  the  final  destiny  of  the 
wicked,  having  given  ofTence  to  many  brethren,  and  being 


OPINIONS  DISCOUNTENANCED.  449 

likely  to  produce  a  division  among  us  ;  and  believing  the  said 
views  to  be  of  no  practical  benefit,  vsre  reconnmend  to  Brothei* 
Thomas  to  discontinue  the  discussion  of  them,  unless  in  his 
defence  when  misrepresented,** 

Dr.  Xhomas  having  cAnsented  to  abide  by  the  re- 
quirements of  this  resolution,  the  matter  was  seemingly 
adjusted,  and  great  hopes  were  entertained  at  the  time 
that  he  would  devote  his  abilities  to  the  cause  of  Bible 
Christianity. 

*'  I  cannot  but  hope,"  said  Mr.  Campbell,  speaking 
of  the  interview  with  Dr.  Thomas,  **  that  the  discussion 
held  at  Painesville  will  fully  satisfy  all  that  where  the 
Bible  is  silent  we  ought  to  be  as  silent  as  the  grave ; 
and  when  it  speaks  often  and  clear,  we  ought  to  speak 
with  corresponding  clearness  and  frequency.  May  the 
Lord  bless  all  who  are  led  by  the  Bible  !"  The  hope, 
however,  it  may  be  here  stated,  that  Dr.  Thomas  would 
abandon  his  speculations,  proved  fallacious.  His  in- 
domitable self-esteem  would  not  suffer  him  to  keep  his 
covenant  with  the  brethren  and  allow  the  world  to  re- 
main ignorant  of  his  imagined  new  discoveries.  He, 
therefore,  soon  after,  while  on  a  visit  to  England,  en- 
deavored to  spread  his  materialism  there,  and  after  his 
return  commenced  in  Illinois  the  publication  of  a  paper 
called  the  "  Investigator,"  in  which  he  so  openly  dis- 
played his  apostasy  from  the  cause  he  had  at  first  ^es- 
poused that  Mr.  Campbell  was  compelled  to  denounce 
him  publicly  as  having  departed  from  the  Reformation 
ground  and  as  seeking  to  form  a  new  party.  In  this, 
however,  the  doctor's  success  was  extremely  small,  for, 
notwithstanding  the  most  persevering  and  unwearied 
efforts  on  his  part,  he  was  able  to  make  but  few  con- 
verts to  his  opinions,  and  soon  ceased  to  attract  atten- 
tion, being  utterly  discountenanced  by  the  churches. 

vol .  II.— 2  D  38  ♦ 


450        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

Mr.  Campbell,  after  the  Painesville  discussion,  went 
on  to  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  which  had  recently 
suffered  by  a  terrible  fire  and  a  visitation  of  yellow 
fever.  After  making  in  his  journal  some  judicious  re- 
marks upon  the  frequent  misapplication  of  the.  meaning 
of  providences,  he  thus  speaks  with  regard  to  slavery : 

"We  conclude  that  slavery  has  proved  no* greater  blessing 
to  the  far  South  than  it  has  done  to  Virginia.  It  has  ex- 
hausted whatever  of  natural  fertility  had  been  originally  in 
the  soil ;  and  South  Carolina  seems  to  have  once  had  a  rea- 
sonable proportion  of  fruitful  territory.  It  has  superinduced 
the  worst  system  of  agriculture  which  one  could  easily 
imagine ;  and  it  has  imposed  on  the  whole  community 
views,  feelings  and  habits  exceedingly  inimical  to  the  resus- 
citation of  the  soil  and  the  agricultural  improvement  and 
advancement  of  the  State.  Tobacco,  rice  and  cotton  are 
profitable  crops  for  slave  labor,  but  exceedingly  unprofitable 
for  other  labor ;  and  it  seems  they  are  predestined  to  live  to- 
gether; they  are  legally  married  in  the  South,  and  South 
Carolina  favors  no  sort  of  divorces,  literal  or  figurative,  ex- 
cept in  the  conjugal  afiinities  of  States." 

Visiting  Dr.  Irwin  and  other  friends  in  Barnwell  dis- 
trict, who  had  gone  to  Charleston  in  hopes  of  meeting 
him  there,  but  were  disappointed,  he  went  on  thence  to 
Augusta,  Georgia,  where  he  met  with  E.  A.  Smith. 
The  Savannah  Baptist  Association  being  in  session,  it 
passed  a  resolution  advising  the  churches  to  refuse  him 
the  use  of  their  meeting-houses.  He  obtained,  how- 
ever, the  Methodist  and  Unitarian  houses  of  worship, 
in  which  he  spoke  for  several  days.  From  what  he 
saw  of  the  state  of  society,  he  made  the  following  re- 
marks in  his  journal : 

*^  I  am  convinced  that  more  than  half  the  white  population 
of  the  Carolinas  and  Georgia  are  an  age  behind  the  same 
class  in  the  North  and  West  of  our  national  patrimony.     And 


LABORS  IN  THE  SOUTH,  451 

still  worse,  I  am  of  opinion  that  their  condition  can  never  be 
improved  under  the  institutions  of  those  regions.  It  is  of  the 
essence  and  of  the  tendency  of  those  institutions  to  concentrate 
all  power,  wealth,  learning  and  respectability  in  the  hands  of 
an  elect  few,  peers  of  the  realm,  princes  and  nobles  of  the 
land,  '  lords  of  the  fowl  and  the  brute.'  The  good  citizens 
at  the  South,  amongst  whom  are  many  good  and  choice 
spirits,  are  not  to  blame  for  these  institutions.  They  did  not 
create  them.  They  are  themselves  the  creatures,  not  the 
creators,  of  these  institutions.  They  are  born  and  educated 
under  them,  and  cannot  be  blamed  for  the  vices  of  a  domi- 
nant majority  when  they  do  not  countenance  them.  It  is  of 
the  essence  of  our  national  creed  that  the  minoritv  shall  sub- 
mit  to  the  majority  in  all  things  tempK)ral  and  political — things 
spiritual  and  eternal  are  always  excepted." 

After  speaking  at  various  points  in  South  Carolina 
and  Georgia,  and  enjoying  the  kind  hospitalities  and 
aid  of  many  warm  friends,  he  proceeded  to  Mont- 
gomery, Alabama,  where  he  was  met  by  the  amiable 
and  talented  James  A.  Butler,  one  of  the  most  active 
Reformation  preachers  in  the  State.  After  speaking  at 
various  points,  he  at  length  reached  Mobile,  where  he 
remained  three  or  four  days,  and  then  sailed  on  board 
the  «*  Giraffe,"  by  way  of  the  Gulf  and  Lake  Pontchar- 
train,  for  New  Orleans.  His  general  impression  of 
the  state  of  things  in  the  regions  he  visited  may  per- 
haps be  best  learned  from  the  following  letters  written 
while  upon  his  tour : 

"  Steamboat  *  Tapaloosa,'  Alabama  River,  January  16,  1839. 
"  My  dear  Brother  Richardson  :  I  have  been  daily  re- 
solving for  two  months  past  that  the  next  vacant  hour  would 
be  occupied  in  writing  a  few  words  to  Brother  Richardson. 
But  vacant  hours  are  with  me  rare  almost  as  angel  visits.  It 
has  been  with  me  a  sermon  of  three  months'  continuance, 
interrupted  only  by  the  stages  of  a  journey  of  some  three 


452         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

thousand  miles.  My  public  addresses  have  been  in  Virginia 
thirty-four,  in  South  Carolina  tw.enty-three,  in  Georgia  twenty, 
in  South  Alabama  ten,  besides  some  hundred  fireside  ser- 
mons, almost  as  laborious  as  those  in  public  assemblies.  I 
am  a  wonder  to  myself  in  enduring  fatigue ;  often  almost 
done  out,  yet  as  fresh  in  the  morrMUg  as  ever.  I  perform  daily 
ablutions,  either  sponging  or  rantizing  the  whole  person,  fol- 
lowed up  by  friction  sweats;  w^hich  lustrations,  being  per- 
formed about  the  dawn  of  day,  greatly  invigorate  and  fortify 
against  colds  and  the  accidents  of  new  lodgings  and  a  very 
variable  climate. 

"*  No  accident  worth  stating  has  yet  overtaken  us.  That 
Eye  that  slumbers  not  has  watched  our  down-sittings  and  up- 
risings, and  guarded,  as  well  as  guided,  all  our  paths.  No  shield 
like  that  of  Jacob's  God,  no  munition  like  the  Rock  of  Ages! 
We  have  had  a  stream  of  consolation  following  us  all  the 
way,  as  well  as  a  bright  cloud  animating  our  onward  course. 
We  have  the  prayers  of  many  Christians  and  the  benediction 
of  them  that  love  the  city  of  our  God. 

'*  My  present  tour  reminds  me  of  those  in  i823-*24-'25, 
when  I  was  widely  scattering  the  seeds  of  reformation  in  the 
West.  The  first  principles  of  things — the  objections  of  the 
captious,  the  scruples  of  the  conscientious,  the  problems  of 
the  curious  and  the  ambushes  of  the  enemies — all  require  and 
receive  a  degree  of  attention.  We  have  to  dispossess  demons 
and  exorcise  unclean  spirits,  as  well  as  to  proclaim  the  ac- 
ceptable year  of  the  Lord.  The  chief  priests,  the  scribes  and 
the  rulers  of  the  people  are  generally  in  league  against  us. 
But  there  are  some  more  noble  than  in  Thessalonica,  who  hear 
the  word  with  teachableness.  Upon  the  whole,  opposition  is 
strong,  well  disciplined  and  co-operative.  Still,  the  truth  is 
omnipotent  and  many  minds  are  leavened  by  its  power,  and 
though  but  a  few  have  yet  turned  out  courageously  to  avow 
their  purposes,  some  have,  and  many  more  will.  We  are 
getting  into  the  confidence  of  the  best  part  of  the  Baptist  com- 
munities, which  are  very  numerous  in  the  South. 

"  But  alas  for  the  South  !     None  are  more  enslaved  to  men 


UNPROPITIOUS   CONDITIONS.  453 

than  slave-owners.  A  few  demagogues  in  religion  and  politics 
first  make  the  people,  and  then  represent  them.  ...  In  religion, 
two  or  three  little  popes  govern  all  the  associations  and  con- 
ferences— they  think — and  the  people  pay  them  for  it. 

^^  I  have  aimed  at  disabusing  the  public  ear  and  propitiating 
A  favorable  hearing  of  all  the  main  points  at  issue,  and  have 
generally  succeeded.  A  few  preachers  are  well  disposed  to 
examine  :  one  or  two  have  boldly  asserted  their  independence, 
and  I  doubt  not  but  others  will  follow.  Upon  the  whole, 
things  are  as  hopeful  as  such  a  latitude  and  such  institutions 
and  manners  and  customs  will  permit.  But  alas  for  the 
South ! 

"  I  expect  to  be  in  New  Orleans  about  the  22d,  and  will 
leave  there  about  the  29th  for  Jackson,  Louisiana,  and  then 
peregrinate  Louisiana  and  Mississippi  up  to  Vicksburg,  thence 
to  Louisville,  through  Kentucky  by  land  to  Maysville,  thence 
to  Bethany,  Deo  volente^  where  I  may  arrive  some  time  in 
March.  Lavinia  joins  me  in  kind  regards  to  yourself  and 
Sister  Richardson.  .  .  .  Affectionately,  as  ever,  your  brother 
ift  the  hope  of  eternal  life,  A.  Campbell." 

"Mobile  River,  January  17,  i839^Steamboat 'Tapaloosa.* 
**  Beloved  Brother  Coleman  :  Time  has  not  passed  so 
smoothly  since  I  saw  thee  last.  '  There  is  no  place  like  Vir- 
ginia,' says  Lavinia,  and  I  am  almost  of  the  same  opinion. 
Disciples  of  Christ  are  not  numerous  in  the  South.  .  .  .  We 
are  disabusing  the  public  mind  of  false  impressions  and  present- 
ing definite  views  of  first  principles.  The  Baptists  are  exceed- 
ingly opposed  through  the  decrees  of  their  Associations,  who 
have  forbid  the  opening  of  their  meeting-houses  to  me  and 
the  brethren.  Still  we  find  some  among  them  who  will  hear 
and  open  their  houses.  Favorable  impressions  have  been 
made  in  all  places,  aqd  a  few  converted.  But  our  population 
in  the  South  is  much  more  ignorant  than  in  Virginia.  We 
have  a  few  educated  intelligent  men,  as  we  have  a  few  rich 
and  powerful ;  but  the  majority  are  poor,  ignorant  and  unedu- 
cated. .  .  .  Such  persons  are  not  interested  in  clear,  distinct 
perceptions ;  they  are  fond  of  mystic  doctrines,  man-worship 


454         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

and  enthusiastic  feelings.     The  brethren  are  of  the  best  class 
of  citizens  and  of  very  respectable  attainments.     But  it  w^ill 
require  many  sermons  and  labors,  or  much  reading,  to  achieve 
much    in   these   regions.     They  want  preachers,  they  want 
houses  and  they  want  a  more  concentrated  population  to  work 
upon.     Farms  are  large — from  one  thousand  to  ten  thousand 
acres — consequently  not  much  society.    Many  negroes,  every- 
thing dear,  traveling  very  high — twice  the  Virginia  rates.  .  .  . 
Still,  I  would  not  have  you  to  think  that  little  has  been  done, 
or  that  little  can  be  done,  in  this  benighted  region.     But  it 
will  require  much  eflbrt.    Several  preachers  are  already  much 
prepossessed  ;  one  has  come  out  for  Reformation,  and  others, 
I  think,  are  on  the  way.  ...  I  sketch  this  in  a  crowd  in  the 
cabin  of  the  steamboat.     Since  you  parted  with  me  at  Peters- 
burg we  have  traveled  nearly  two  thousand  miles.     I  expect 
to  be  at  New  Orleans  on  the  23d,  and  then  to  commence  my 
tour  in  Louisiana   and  Mississippi.     I  expect  to  arrive  in 
Kentucky  in  March,  and  at  Bethany  about  the  beginning  of 
April,  when  I  shall  expect  to  hear  from  you  and  soon  to  see 
you. 

^^  Lavinia  joins  with  me  in  her  kindest  and  most  Christian 
regards  to  yourself,  Brother  and  Sister  Goss,  Brother  Poin- 
dexter,  and  indeed  all  our  special  acquaintances  in  Charlottes- 
ville. May  the  love  of  God,  the  favor  of  Jesus  Christ  and  the 
communications  of  the  Holy  Spirit  be  with  your  spirit,  my 
dear  brother !     In  all  affection,  yours  in  the  Lord, 

'*  A.  Campbell." 

"  New  Orleans,  January  25,  1839. 
"  My  Dearly  Beloved  Selina  :  Through  the  unceasing 
kindness  of  our  Father  in  heaven  we  are  safely  arrived  in  this 
great  commercial  emporium  of  the  South  and  South-west. 
But  we  have  brought  a  poor  article  to  this  market ;  few  bid- 
ders and  no  buyers  inquiring  for  drafts  on  the  Bank  of 
Heaven.  Bonds  drawn  on  the  richest  bank  in  the  universe 
and  at  the  cheapest  price  are  unacceptable  and  uninteresting 
to  this  community.  ^  Buy  wine  and  milk  without  money 
and  without  price.' 


TRUSTING  IN  GOD.  455 

^'  I  am  to  offer  my  wares  and  merchandise  this  evening  at 
the  Congregational  meeting-house  of  Mr.  Clapp.  It  is  an- 
nounced in  all  the  city  papers.  This  city  appears  much  more 
orderly  and  decent  than  I  expected,  and  has  some  very  fine 
buildings.  But  the  population  is  of  all  castes  but  the  right 
one,  and  everything  is  more  in  demand  than  the  things  of 
heaven. 

"  O  Mammon  !  Mammon  !  Riches,  honor,  fame,  whatever 
thou  art  that  captivates  the  human  mind  from  God  and  Christ 
and  heaven,  thou  art  an  insidious,  murderous  foe  I  A  de- 
lusion, false  and  cruel !  And  such  is  the  infatuation  of  sin 
that  men  will  hear  their  worst  enemy  rather  than  their  best 
friend.  How  much  need  for  the  petition,  '  Lord,  abandon  us 
not  to  temptation  T 

^^We  are  all  homesick  enough,  but  as  much  as  I  de- 
sire to  see  my  dear  Selina  and  my  children  and  friends — and 
I  never  more  longed  to  see  them  all — I  must,  like  the  sol- 
dier enlisted  in  the  war  of  his  country  and  king,  faithfully 
serve  my  term  and  get  an  honorable  discharge.  I  have  under- 
taken a  certain  mission  and  I  must  perform  it  all. 

'*We  had  a  very  pleasant  passage  from  Mobile  to  New 
Orleans.  We  unfortunately  lost  much  of  the  pleasure  of  the 
voyage  through  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  having  passed  through 
the  most  of  it  during  the  night.  I  always  sleep  sound  by  ^and 
and  by  sea,  and  although  we  almost  ran  aground  on  a  shoal 
in  the  night,  and  had  a  good  deal  of  backing  out  and  noise,  I 
did  not  hear  anything  of  it,  but  slept  sweetly  for  seven  hours, 
from  nine  to  four. 

^^  On  Monday  we  shall  leave  here  for  Jackson,  Louisiana, 
where  Brother  Shannon  and  the  University  of  this  State  are 
located.  I  know  not  what  stay  I  will  make  in  these  two 
States  of  Mississippi  and  Louisiana,  but  presume  I  cannot 
leave  before  the  end  of  February,  and  then  I  shall  pass  through 
Kentucky  from  Louisville  to  Maysville,  and  thence  to  Bethany^ 
Virginia,  if  the  Lord  will. 

^'  Our  times  are  in  His  hand  who  rides  upon  the  whirl- 
wind and  directs  the  storm.     The  will  of  the  Lord  alone  shall 


45^         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

stand  for  ever.  May  we,  my  dear  wife,  all  be  submissive  to 
his  holy  and  righteous  will.  To  understand  and  practice  the 
Christian  religion  is  heaven  begun  and  anticipated  on  earth, 
and  to  make  others  happy  in  the  same  way  is  to  promote  our 
own  peace  and  joy  and  bliss ;  for  while  the  sons  of  the  flesh  are 
hated  and  hating,  deluded  and  deluding,  sinned  against  and 
sinning,  the  Christian  is  beloved  and  loving,  enlightened  and 
enlightening,  blessed  and  blessing  in  all  his  Christian  efforts 
to  do  good. 

^^  I  am  announced  in  the  city  papers  as  about  to  deliver  an 
address  on  the  ^  Christian  System'  this  evening,  and  shall 
arrange  my  thoughts  in  the  following  order : 

"Preliminary  Observations. — i.  If  the  Christian  relig- 
ion be  divine,  it  must  be  a  system.  For  God  works  systemati- 
cally, hence  nature  is  a  system  of  systems.  But  Christianity 
is  divine  because  it  is  good  and  true^  and  like  all  God's  sys- 
tems it  is  positive^  simple^  natural^  authoritative  and  adapted 
to  the  happiness  of  its  subjects.  2.  Man  is  the  subject  of  the 
Christian  system — not  man  as  he  was^  but  man  as  he  is. 
Man  may  be  contemplated  as  he  was^  as  he  is  and  as  he  shall 
be.  The  Christian  religion,  while  it  alludes  to  man  as  he  was 
and. as  he  shall  be^  treats  man  as  he  is,  3.  But  man  as  he  is 
IS  the  subject  of  many  systems  and  sciences,  physical,  political, 
legjrl.  Christianity  treats  man  as  he  is  morally^  or  in  his  re- 
lations to  an  intellectual  and  moral  system,  and  treats  with 
him  as  he  is^  that  it  may  make  him  what  he  ought  to  be, 

*'  Then  we  shall  consider  the  Christian  System  :  i.  The 
Author  of  it.  2.  The  subject  of  it.  3.  The  end  of  it.  4.  Its 
elements.  5.  The  acceptability  it  effects  for  man  with  God. 
Something  like  this  seems  to  press  upon  my  mind  this  evening. 

"  My  dear  Selina,  I  need  not  enjoin  upon  you  the  re- 
ligious and  moral  training  of  our  dear  children.  I  am  aware 
that  you  love  me,  and  love  them  on  my  account  as  well  as  on 
your  own.  They  are  dear  pledges  of  our  mutual  love  and 
esteem,  and  therefore  I  have  all  confidence  in  your  maternal 
as  well  as  conjugal  affection.  I  only  say  that  while  I  see  the 
sad  moral  evils  of  the  present  time  in  the  training  of  children, 


TRAVELS  AND  LABORS,  457 

and  the  sad  course  of  this  generation,  I  am,  like  Joshua,  more 
and  more  resolved  that  as  for  me  and  my  house  we  shall  serve 
the  Lord.  Remember  me  affectionately  to  my  father,  to  all 
my  children,  to  all  my  brethren  who  ask  for  me,  and  to  all  my 
household.     Yours  ever,  A.  Campbell." 

At  New  Orleans,  Mr.  Campbell  received  many  polite 
attentions  from  Mr.  Clapp,  pastor  of  the  First  Congre- 
gational Church  there,  who  granted  hipi  freely  the  use 
of  his  meeting-house.  After  delivering  five  lectures, 
which  were  heard  with  great  interest  by  large  audi- 
ences, he  ascended  the  Mississippi  and  spoke  in  the 
Episcopal  church  at  St.  Francisville,  and  thence  pro- 
ceeded to  Jackson,  the  seat  of  one  of  the  State  colleges, 
whose  president  was  James  Shannon,  a  fine  scholar  and 
an  earnest  disciple,  who  had  already  established  a 
church  there.     From  this  point  he  thus  wrote  : 

"Jackson,  Louisiana,  Februarys,  1839. 

'*  My  Dear  Selina  :  I  am  now  safely  lodged  at  the  resi- 
dence of  our  good  brother  Shannon,  president  of  the  Louis- 
iana College.  We  have  been  bound  to  the  house  by  a  four 
days'  rain  and  snow.  Through  the  continual  goodness  of  our 
heavenly  Father  we  are  thus  far  preserved  from  all  evil. 

" '  Oh  how  great  is  his  goodness  which  he  has  laid  up  for 
them  that  love  him,  for  them  that  trust  in  him  before  the  sons 
of  men  !  He  shall  hide  them  in  the  secret  of  his  presence 
from  the  pride  of  man.  He  shall  keep  them  secretly  in  a 
pavilion  from  the  strife  of  tongues.' 

"  We  are  now  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  above  New 
Orleans,  and  had  expected,  but  for  the  rain,  to  have  been  to- 
night with  Mrs.  Johnson,  concerning  whom  you  heard  so 
good  a  report  from  Dr.  McCall.  We  met  with  many  ac- 
quaintances in  New  Orleans,  amongst  whom  were  Brother 
Hurlbut,  of  Pittsburg,  and  Sister  Nancy  Owen,  from  Ten- 
nessee, Mr.  Richard  Talbot,  and  others  of  equal  interest  and 
reputation.     I  found  and  left  them  all  well.     I  expect  to  be 

S9 


458        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

in  Natchez  in  about  a  week,  and  in  Vicksburg  in  some  two  or 
three  weeks. 

'*  I  have  spoken  here  to  very  large  and  attentive  audiences 
several  times,  and  expect  to  leave  to-morrow,  if  it  does  not 
rain,  for  Woodville,  Mississippi.  I  think  much  good  has  re- 
sulted iVoni  my  labors  here,  as  well  as  in  other  places  that  I 
have  visited.  We  are  slaying  the  prejudices  of  the  people 
and  propitiating  the  ears  of  thousands  to  the  truth.  In  all 
places  we  bave  disarmed  prejudice  and  awed  opposition  into 
silence,  or  made  it  do  homage  to  the  truth.  We  are,  how- 
ever, rather  grubbing  and  pioneering  than  planting,  and  sow- 
ing rather  than  reaping. 

'*  I  only  want  the  consolations  of  your  presence,  my  dear  Se- 
lina,  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  my  earthly  happiness,  and  to  see 
my  dear  family  partaking  with  me  in  the  good  things  of  the 
heavenly  religion  of  our  Saviour  and  benefactor.  Amidst  all 
the  company  which  I  have  around  me — and  it  is  most  accept- 
able and  often  greatly  interesting — there  is  none  that  can  fill 
the  place  of  the  mother  of  my  dear  children  and  the  partner 
of  all  my  fortunes,  good  or  evil.  Strange  relation  !  Wonder- 
ful union  !  Certainly  it  is  a  divine  institution  I  God  said  it 
is  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone.  Alone  in  the  midst  of  society 
I  often  am,  merely  because  I  am  not  all  here.  For  the  man 
is  not  without  the  woman,  and  the  woman  is  not  without  the 
man  in  the  Lord ! 

"  God  in  the  midst  of  a  deep  sleep— a  type  of  death — created 
out  of  man's  side  a  woman.  The  devil  in  the  disguise  of  a  ser- 
pent deceived  and  seduced  her.  The  woman's  son  and  Lord 
in  the  guise  and  covering  of  a  son  of  man  caught  the  enemy 
in  his  own  craftiness,  and  being  killed,  killed  him  ;  by  being 
captured,  captivated  captivity  I  Well  now,  the  heavenly 
Father  during  the  deep  sleep  of  the  second  Adam  created 
out  of  his  opened  side,  whence  blood  to  atone  and  water  to 
cleanse  issued,  a  bride  for  his  son.  So  that  Jesus  is  the  Hus- 
band of  the  Church,  and  she,  the  bride,  is  bone  of  his  bone 
and  flesh  of  his  flesh.  So  that  he  loved  her  and  gave  him- 
self for  her,  that  he  might  have  a  pure,  chaste,  virtuous  bride 


COMMUNINGS  OF  AFFECTION  459 

as  his  companion  and  his  delight  for  ever.  May  we,  my 
dear  sister-wife,  bring  forth  meet  fruits,  that  when  he  appears 
we  may  appear  at  his  marriage  supper,  and  that  we  may  be 
in  full  dress,  without  speck  or  wrinkle  or  any  such  thing. 

"My  most  affectionate  regards  to  all  at  Bethany,  as  if 
named  one  by  one ;  while  I  remain,  as  ever,  your  loving 
and  beloved  husband,  A.  Campbell. 

'*  The  Lord  bless  you  all  I" 

After  speaking  eight  times  at  Jackson,  Mr.  Campbell 
visited  Woodville  and  Consolation,  and  then  went  on  to 
Natchez  and  other  points  in  Mississippi,  scattering  with 
a  liberal  hand  the  seeds  of  righteousness  and  piety 
everywhere  along  his  route.  From  Natchez  he  passed 
up  the  river  to  Louisville,  having  become  exceedingly 
desirous  to  reach  again  his  loved  ones  at  Bethany,  from 
whom  he  had  been  now  absent  more  than  five  months. 
However  firm  his  will,  and  however  exacting  his  own 
sense  of  obligation  to  spread  abroad  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth,  no  one  felt  more  deeply  the  privations  of  ab- 
sence or  held  in  more  constant  or  afifectionate  repciem- 
brance  those  who  were  dear  to  him.  Their  names 
seemed  to  be  ever  upon  his  heart,  and  the  special  inci- 
dents or  circumstances  which  were  associated  with  their 
memories  seemed  to  be  indissolubly  linked  with  all  his 
private  musings.  He  forgot  no  family  anniversaries, 
he  omitted  no  opportunity  of  recurring  to  events  fitted 
to  deepen  family  affection  or  enliven  social  intercourse. 
Hence  it  wa9  that,  upon  his  tours,  his  letters  to  his 
family  and  friends  were  numerous  and  often  of  con- 
siderable length.  From  his  remarkable  talent  for  the 
despatch  of  business  he  availed  himself  of  every  spare 
moment  for  such  communings,  on  steamboats,  in  hotels 
and  other  stopping-places,  while  at  the  same  time  he 
constantly  kept  up  his  regular  series  of  essays  and  com- 


460        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL, 

munications  in  the  "  Harbinger,"  averaging,  with  ita 
extras,  more  than  fifty  printed  pages  per  month.  It 
was  thus,  in  harmony  with  his  constant  practice  and  his 
desire  to  impart  happiness  to  all  connected  with  him, 
that,  on  the  anniversary  of  his  first  marriage,  which 
occurred  while  he  was  in  Louisville,  he  addressed  the 
following  letter  to  Mrs.  Campbell : 

**  Louisville,  March  12,  1839. 

"  My  dear  Selina  :  This  day,  twenty-eight  years  ago,  I 
gave  my  hand,  and  my  heart  accompanied  it,  to  your  amiable 
and  excellent  predecessor  in  the  holy  bonds  of  matrimony. 
Heaven  lent  me  that  precious  gift  more  than  sixteen  years,  of 
the  value  of  which  I  never  did  form  an  over-estimate.  But 
more  than  eleven  years  since  He  called  her  to  himself  from 
this  land  of  cares  and  fears  and  griefs  and  woes  unnumbered, 
and  more  than  ten  years  ago  appointed  you  to  fill  her  place  in 
my  affections,  and  to  be  her  successor  in  all  the  endearments 
and  trials  of  the  conjugal  and  maternal  relations. 

*'  I  have,  my  dear  Selina,  found  you  worthy  of  all  the  affec- 
tion and  esteem  which  were  due  to  her  who  desired  to  bless 
both  yow  and  me  by  nominating  you  to  be  her  successor.  I 
have,  from  ten  years'  intimacy,  superadded  to  an  acquaintance 
of  ten  years  more,  found  you  to  be  in  understanding  and  in 
feeling,  in  piety  and  in  social  excellence,  all  that  is  desirable 
in  woman ;  and,  permit  me  to  add,  though  I  have  seen  many 
an  amiable  and  excellent  woman  since  I  gave  you  my  heart 
and  my  hand  for  life,  I  have  never  thought  that  I  saw  one 
more  deserving  of  my  afltction  and  esteem  than  yourself. 

"  Now,  my  dear,  you  may  be  assured  that  if,  either  by  my 
long  absence  from  you  or  any  apparent  neglect  that  at  any 
time  I  may,  in  my  absent,  studious  hours  or  seasons,  have  ex- 
hibited toward  you,  it  would  seem  as  if  I  did  not  truly  and 
worthily  appreciate  your  society  and  your  excellences,  I 
would  have  you  know  that  it  was  the  offspring  of  the  frailties 
of  human  nature — which,  you  know,  in  its  best  estate,  is  always 
vanity— or  the  imperious  calls  of  duty,  to  which,  you  know,  I 


SUPERNATURAL  FACTS.  461 

am  not  altogether  deaf  or  inattentive.  You  are  my  fellow- 
soldier,  my  true  yoke-fellow,  my  partner  in  all  my  labors  in 
the  c^use  of  religion  and  humanity,  and  therefore,  as  you 
share  in  my  toils  and  self-denials,  I  pray  that  we  may  equally 
partake  in  the  eternal  rewards  and  enjoyments. 

*'  I  do  not  intend  ever  to  leave  you  so  long  again,  as  I  do  not 
think  that  it  will  be  my  duty.  Meanwhile,  I  trust,  as  the  Lord 
has  kindly  borne  with  all  my  frailties — and  I  am  aware  they 
are  neither  few  nor  little — and  has  led  me  by  his  right  hand 
in  the  times  and  places  of  danger,  that  he  will  still  send  his 
angel  before  me  and  keep  me  in  all  my  ways,  and  restore  me 
to  your  bosom  and  that  of  my  beloved  family  in  due  time. 

"  Meanwhile,  my  beloved  Selina,  constantly,  as  I  know 
you  do,  pray  to  the  Lord  for  me  that  I  may  be  humble,  spirit- 
ually-minded, wholly  devoted  to  the  Lord,  and  that  my  labors 
may  be  accepted  by  him  and  blessed.  .  .  . 

"Farewell,  my  dear,  and  remember  me  affectionately  to  all. 
Yours  ever,  in  nature  and  in  the  Lord,         A.  Campbell." 

From  Louisville,  accompanied  by  William  Morton, 
he  went  on  to  Shelbyville,  where  he  spoke  three  times, 
and  was  happy  to  meet  again  with  J.  Taffe,  his  former 
agreeable  traveling  companion,  who,  along  with  a  Brother 
Gates,  of  Louisville,  highly  esteemed  by  Mr.  Campbell, 
accompanied  him  to  Frankfort,  where  he  was  met  by 
his  esteemed  fellow-laborer,  P.  S.  Fall,  whom  he  styles 
in  his  journal  '*  the  first  Reformer  in  Kentucky."  Leav- 
ing Frankfort,  he  visited,  in  company  with  Messrs.  Taffe 
and  Gates,  many  other  points  between  that  city  and 
Maysville,  renewing  his  intercourse  with  many  warm 
friends.  Spending  in  all  fourteen  days  in  this  State, 
during  which  he  spoke  fifteen  times,  he  closed  with  an 
address,  on  March  25th,  to  the  Maysville  Lyceum  on 
"  Supernatural  Facts,"  which  was  afterward  published 
at  the  request"  of  the  society.  In  less  than  an  hour 
after  this  address  he  embarked  on  board  a  steamer  for 

39  » 


463  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL, 

Wellsburg,  and  arrived  at  Bethany  on  the  28th  of  March, 
having  spent  about  six  months  on  this  tour,  speaking* 
about  once  for  every  day  and  baptizing  some  forty 
persons. 

During  his  absence  his  sister  Alicia  died  of  con- 
sumption, January  16,  1839,  ^^  Matthew  McKeever*s, 
near  West  Middletown,  and  was  buried  near  her  mother 
in  the  cemetery  at  Bethany.  She  had  been  for  some 
years  the  wife  of  M.  S.  Clapp,  and  cheerfully  yielded 
her  gentle  spirit  into  the  hands  of  her  Redeemer.  Dur- 
ing the  same  year,  on  the  9th  of  July,  Mr.^Campbell 
was  called  to  suffer  the  loss  of  his  second  daughter,  Eliza 
Ann,  who  had  been  some  time  before  married  to  Dr. 
John  C.  Campbell,  a  lawyer  and  a  gentleman  of  high 
intelligence  and  standing  in  Wellsburg.  She  had  be- 
come a  member  of  the  church  at  fourteen  years  of  age, 
and  met  the  approach  of  death  with  the  utmost  calmness 
and  resignation. 

In  concluding  the  notes  of  his  late  extended  tour,  Mr. 
Campbell  remarked  in  regard  to  the  general  condition 
of  society : 

"  On  a  survey  of  all  we  saw. and  heard  on  the  whole  sub- 
ject of  religion  and  morality — both  theory  and  practice — we 
must  say  that  much  is  wanting,  very  much  is  wanting,  in  order 
to  correct  and  scriptural  views  of  the  gospel  and  its  institu- 
tions ;  and  still  more,  in  order  to  moral  and  Christian  excel- 
lence of  character  before  God  and  man.  This  is  truly  a  de- 
generate age  as  respects  Christian  purity  and  Christian  enjoy- 
ment. There  is,  too,  everywhere  more  of  a  readiness  to  re- 
form the  creed  than  the  heart,  to  rectify  the  understanding 
rather  than  the  affections,  and  to  exhibit  sound  tenets  rather 
than  godly  lives ;  good  works  are  much  more  wanting  than 
good  notions;  devotion  to  God  more  than  submission  to  a 
party ;  personal  and  family  religion  more  than  plans  and  be- 
nevolent operations  on  paper  for  the  Asiatics  and  Africans. 


SCHEME   OF  EDUCATION.  463 

.  .  .  Millions  are  consumed  upon  the  lusts  of  men  for  thou- 
sands that  are  laid  up  on  deposit  in  the  Bank  of  Heaven.  But 
time  fails.  I  must  speak  of  this  hereafter.  '  O  Lord,  revive 
thy  work  in  the  midst  of  the  years,  in  the  midst  of  the  years 
make  known  ;  in  wrath  remember  mercy  !' " 

These  reflections  were  connected  with  an  important 
purpose.  During  Mr.  Campbell's  entire  course  there  was 
no  subject  which  more  deeply  interested  him  than  that 
of  education.  But  at  no  former  period  of  his  life  had 
he  been  so  deeply  impressed  >yith  the  great  want  of  an 
educated  and  efficient  ministry  to  supply  the  demands 
of  the  Reformation,  now  so  widely  spread.  It  was  not 
possible,  however,  that  education  or  any  other  subject 
could  undergo  his  scrutiny  without  being  expanded  in 
harmony  with  the  massive  proportions  of  his  own  intel- 
lectual nature  ;  and  having  for  some  time  longed  to  pre-, 
sent  to  the  public  the  result  of  his  reflections  upon  this 
topic,  he,  after  his  return,  began  to  develop  in  a  series 
of  essays  a  grand  system  of  education,  designed  to  em- 
brace all  ages  and  to  develop  man  in  all  the  attributes 
of  his  complex  being.  This  plan  was  to  begin  at  the 
nursery,  and  to  have  family,  school,  college  and  church 
education  adapted  to  the  entire  physical,  intellectual, 
moral  and  religious  constitution  of  man. 

He  proposed,  therefore,  ist,  a  Family  Institution 
for  the  purpose  of  furnishing  accommodations  for  those 
in  attendance  at  the  primary  school,  and  especially  for 
the  development  of  the  domestic  character,  as  well  as 
for  furnishing  a  model  of  family  government  and  econ- 
omy. This  was  to  be  under  the  control  of  two  persons, 
2i  patron  and  3,  ma tr on ,  and  to  be  a  home  for  lads  under 
fourteen,  where  these  could  be  subjected  to  a  system 
of  kind  parental  discipline,  carefully  instructed  in  the 
facts,  precepts  and  promises  of  the  Bible,  and  trained 


464  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

up  in  the  paths  of  morality  and  religion.  Knowing 
that  all  the  powers  of  human  nature  were  lo  be 
strengthened  and  improved  by  exercise,  the  muscles, 
the  perceptive  and  the  reflective  powers,  the  moral  senti- 
ments, the  feelings  and  the  affections  were  to  be  every 
day  employed  and  exercised  on  objects  and  in  actions 
suitable  to  their  nature  and  functions.  For  these  ends 
he  contemplated  a  very  extensive  course  of  instruction 
adapted  to  children,  connected  in  a  good  measure  with 
their  amusements,  and  embracing  the  elements  of 
natural  history,  agriculture,  etc. 

In  the  second  place,  education  in  the  School  was  to 
be  conducted  on  the  same  general  principles,  and  to  em- 
brace a  complete  course  of  preparation  for  college,  it 
being  constantly  kept  in  view  that  the  formation  of 
moral  character^  the  culture  of  the  hearty  was  to  be 
7nade  the  supreme  end^  all  other  purposes  being  held 
subordinate. 

In  the  third  place,  in  the  College,  he  proposed  a 
liberal  course  of  studies,  giving  somewhat  more  promi- 
nence than  usual  to  the  physical  sciences,  and  contem- 
plating the  most  liberal  provisions  for  thorough  instruc- 
tion, so  as  to  prepare  young  men  to  enter  upon  the 
study  of  the  learned  professions.  In  this  department, 
however,  as  in  the  others,  moral  and  religious  training 
was  to  form  a  principal  feature  and  the  Bible  was  to 
be  made  one  of  the  regular  text-books,  so  that  no  one 
could  receive  the  honors  of  the  institution  without  being 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  Sacred  Oracles,  which 
were  to  be  taught  regularly  every  day — not  with  the  de- 
sign of  evolving  from  them  any  system  of  doctrines, 
but  for  the  purpose  of  familiarizing  the  mind  with  Bible 
facts  and  institutions. 

In  the  fourth  and  last  place,  the  Church  with  which 


PLAN  OF  TALLEYRAND.  465 

the  institution  was  to  be  connected,  embracing  all  who 
were  really  members,  would  present  to  the  entire  insti- 
tution and  to  the  world  a  practical  conformity  to  the 
requirements  of  religion,  and  thus  exemplify  the  truths 
and  excellences  of  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

This  grand  scheme  of  education  was  no  sooner  pre- 
sented than  it  was  hailed  with  delight  by  well-wishers 
to  humanity  and  by  eminent  educators  of  various  creeds, 
who  were  struck  with  its  completeness  and  its  novelty, 
and  who  had  learned  to  anticipate  the  success  of  every 
enterprise  undertaken  by  Mr.  Campbell.  History  could 
refer  to  the  genius  of  Prince  Talleyrand  alone  for  con- 
ceptions so  grand  and  a  scheme  so  exhaustive.  It  was 
at  the  period  of  the  French  Revolution,  and  on  the 
evening  of  the  day  when  the  destruction  of  the  Bastile 
had  filled  the  palace  with  terror  and  the  Assembly 
with  surprise,  that  Talleyrand  was  appointed  one  of 
eight  members  to  draft  a  constitution.  It  was  at  this 
singular  juncture  in  human  affairs,  when  popular 
frenzy,  as  it  were  with  volcanic  power,  upturned  the 
very  foundations  of  society,  and  amidst  frightful  deso- 
lations threw  up  from  the  depths  of  human  nature 
many  precious  gems  of  original  and  unrecognized  polit- 
ical and  social  truth,  that  the  Constituent  Assembly,  con- 
sidering that  the  best  means  of  giving  stability  to  its  re- 
forms was  to  cultivate  the  understanding  of  the  people, 
committed  to  Talleyrand  the  most  extraordinary  task 
ever  undertaken  by  an  individual,  in  charging  him  to 
produce  a  plan  of  public  instruction  which  should  pre- 
pare the  coming  generations  for  the  lofty  destiny  sup- 
posed to  await  them. 

The  report  which  he  presented  in  consequence  to  the 
Assembly  has  deservedly  attached  to  his  memory  the 
highest  renown.     Previously,  education  had  been  en- 

TOL.  11.-^2  £ 


4^6         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL, 

tirely  in  the  hands  of  the  clergy,  but  the  author,  break- 
ing away  at  once  from  all  conventionalities,  established 
usages  and  narrow  systems,  proceeded  boldly  to  con- 
sider the  whole  subject  of  education  in  its  origin,  its  ob- 
ject, its  organization  and  its  methods.  The  subject 
was  thus^ treated,  for  the  first  time,  with  an  immediate 
view  to  national  ends.  Education  was  contemplated 
as  required  not  only  for  all  ages,  but  as  addressed  to 
the  understanding,  the  powers  of  which  were  to  be  de- 
veloped ;  to  the  soul,  whose  moral  instincts  were  to  be 
awakened  ;  and  to  the  body,  whose  activities  and  strength 
were  to  be  improved.     For  these  purposes  he  proposed 

•to  establish  primary  schools  in  every  canton  for  ele- 
mentary instruction.  From  these,  pupils  were  to  be 
transferred  to  secondary  schools  in  the  chief  towns  of 

I  every  district,  where  a  thorough  Common  school  educa- 
tion was  to  be  imparted  to  fit  all  for  the  ordinary  busi- 
ness of  life.  Special  schools  were  then  projected  for 
each  department,  in  which  instruction  was  to  be  given  in 
the  useful  arts  and  professions.  Finally,  a  great  Na- 
tional Institute  was  to  be  established  in  the  capital  for 
the  purpose  of  the  most  profound  researches  in  science 
and  literature,  in  order  to  advance  human  knowledge 
and  to  centralize  the  national  mind  as  the  legislature 
centralized  the  national  will.  This  magnificent  scheme, 
which  embraced  the  development  of  man's  physical, 
intellectual  and  moral  nature,  and  which  even  gave  to 
moral  culture  a  special  prominence  with  a  view  to 
render  all  good  and  useful  citizens,  was,  nevertheless, 
strikingly  defective  in  assigning  to  moral  principle  no 
other  origin  than  the  understanding  and  no  other  sanc- 
tion than  mere  utility.  According  to  the  spirit  of  the 
times,  morality  was  based  entirely  on  temporal  motives, 
and  no  reference  to  any  religious  sentiment  was  ad- 


BASIS   OF  MORAL   CULTURE.  467 

mitted.  The  plan,  however,  was  not  carried  into  exe- 
cution, owing  to  the  convulsions  of  the  succeeding 
period,  and  remained  a  barren  project  until  revived  by 
Guizot,  to  some  extent,  after  the  Revolution  of  1830. 

The  system  projected  by  Mr.  Campbell,  who  de- 
pended entirely  upon  the  resources  of  his  own  capacious 
mind  and  enlarged  experience  and  observation,  pre- 
sented the  same  great  objects  and  the  same  compre- 
hensive classification,  but  it  differed  radically  from  all 
preceding  measures  in  making  the  Bible  the  basis  of  all 
moral  culture.  The  relations  of  the  great  principles 
taught  in  the  Bible  to  human  rights  and  political  and 
sockil  freedom  had  for  some  time  been  partially  recog- 
nized, but  no  one  had  assigned  to  it  its  proper  position 
in  respect  to  moral  science,  which  had,  as  yet,  found  no 
better  foundation  than  philosophy,  and  the  study  of 
which  even  was  postponed  to  the  latest  period.  Mr. 
Campbell  was  convinced  that  a  very  great  chasm  was 
suffered  to  exist  in  the  ordinary  course  of  education  be- 
tween the  primary  school  and  the  college.  The  almost 
total  neglect  of  moral  culture  during  this  period  left,  he 
thought,  pupils  quite  unprepared  to  engage  in  the 
studies  and  encounter  the  temptations  of  college  life. 
He  argued  that  there  could  not  be  any  proper  prepara- 
tions for  college  without  such  a  development  of  the 
moral  faculties  and  such  instruction  as  would  enable 
students  to  take  correct  views  of  life  and  of  society,  and 
justly  to  recognize  the  obligations  and  responsibilities 
resting  upon  them.  This  preparation,  imparted  only  in 
exceptional  cases  in  home  education,  he  thought  should 
be  assiduously  communicated  to  a//,  and  that  a  proper 
foundation  should  thus  be  laid  for  all  subsequent  attain- 
ments. This  moral  education,  in  his  view,  could  be 
derived  from  no  other  source  than  the  Bible,  whose 


468         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

lessons  alone  furnished  the  proper  basis  for  such  an  at- 
tainment, which  he  did  not  conceive  to  consist  in  mere 
instruction  in  the  principles  or  in  the  philosophy  of 
morality,  but  in  the  formation  of  character.  This, 
which  had  heretofore  formed  no  part  of  the  purpose  for 
which  schools  were  established,  he  thought  should  be 
made  the  chief  object,  believing  it  quite  possible  to  form 
the  human  character  by  early  discipline  and  instruction, 
to  implant  proper  motives,  direct  the  feelings  in  a 
proper  course,  and  fix  in  the  mind  moral  and  religious 
principles.  His  conceptions,  indeed,  in  regard  to  these 
points,  corresponded  closely  with  those  of  the  eminent 
De  Fellenberg,  who  for  many  years  had  been  en- 
deavoring, under  many  difficulties,  to  put  his  ideas  into 
practice  at  Hotwyl,  but  of  whose  views  Mr.  Campbell 
does  not  appear  to  have  known  anything  until  after  he 
had  published  his  own. 

Impressed  with  the  great  deficiency  of  competent 
teachers  for  schools  and  for  the  churches,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell had  many  years  before  conceived  the  plan  which 
he  now  submitted,  but  he  had  delayed  making  it  public, 
as  a  literary  institution  called  Bacon  College  had  been 
somewhat  unexpectedly  started  by  the  brethren  at 
Georgetown,  Kentucky,  and  he  dfd  not  wish  to  divert 
the  resources  of  the  friends  of  education  there  from  the 
enterprise  in  which  they  were  engaged,  until  its  success 
was  assured.  Bacon  College  being  at  length  removed 
to  Harrodsburg,  under  favorable  conditions,  and  his 
observations  during  his  late  extensive  tours  having 
awakened  him  more  fully  to  the  pressing  wants  of  the 
community  and  the  churches,  he  thought  the  time  had 
fully  arrived  for  the  execution  of  his  designs.  In  his 
earnest  desire,  therefore,  to  promote  the  highest  interests 
of  society,  and  to  appropriate  his  own  time  and  abilities 


ORGANIZATION  OF  BETH  ANT  COLLEGE,      469 

to  the  most  beneficent  ends,  he  resolved  to  consecrate 
much  of  what  remained  to  him  of  life  in  preparing  for 
the  coming  generation  better-instructed  teachers  than 
had  been  formed  by  the  old  methods. 

•'  Having  now,"  said  he,  "  completed  fifty  years,  and  on  my 
way  to  sixty,  the  greater  part  of  which  time  I  have  been 
engaged  in  literary  labors  and  pursuits,  and  imagining  that  I 
possess  some  views  and  attainments  which  I  can  in  this  way 
render  permanently  useful  to  this  community  and  posterity,  I 
feel  in  duty  bound  to  offer  this  project  to  the  consideration  of 
all  the  friends  of  literature,  morality  and  unsectarian  Bible 
Christianity.  I  am  willing  to  bestow  much  personal  labor 
without  any  charge  in  getting  up  this  institution,  and  also  to 
invest  a  few  thousand  dollars  in  it ;  provided  only  our  breth- 
ren— the  rich  and  opulent  especially — and  those  who  have 
children  to  educate,  will  take  a  strong  hold  of  it,  and  deter- 
mine to  build  up  an  establishment  that  may  be  made  to  them- 
selves, their  children  and  many  others  a  lasting  and  a  com- 
prehensive blessing." 

During  the  winter  of  1840,  a  charter  having  been 
obtained  for  Bethany  College  through  the  attentions 
of  John  C.  Campbell,  Esq.,  who  had  formerly  been  a 
member  of  the  Legislature,  Mr.  Campbell  announced 
his  determination  to  proceed  at  once  with  the  arrange- 
ments necessary  for  the  institution,  and  invited  donations 
from  those  disposed  to  assist.  The  first  donation,  $1000, 
was  made  by  Philip  B.  Pendleton,  of  Virginia,  as  a 
legacy.  On  the  nth  of  May,  1840,  the  trustees  held 
their  first  meeting.  At  the  second  meeting,  September 
1 8th,  Mr.  Campbell  was  elected  president  of  the  col- 
lege, and  requested  to  prepare  a  scheme  of  the  course 
of  education  to  be  adopted.  On  this  occasion  he  pre- 
sented to  the  Board  a  bond  for  a  deed  of  land  for  the 
use  of  the  institution,  and  the  trustees,  after  appointing 
a  building  committee,  and  making  some  other  arrange- 

40 


47<5        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

ments,  adjourned  to  the  next  year.  Meanwhile,  Mr. 
Campbell,  with  his  usual  promptitude,  proceeded  on 
his  own  responsibility  to  erect  a  large  brick  building 
for  the  accommodation  of  students.  At  the  second 
annual  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  May  lo, 
1841,  four  professors  were  appointed,  viz.:  W.  K. 
Pendleton,  who  had  married  Mr.  Campbell's  daughter, 
Lavinia,  during  the  previous  month  of  October,  An- 
drew F.  Ross,  Charles  Stewart  and  Robert  Richard- 
son.  Notice  was  also  ordered  to  be  given  that  the  col- 
legiate department  would  be  open  for  the  reception  of 
students  on  the  21st  of  October  following. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

Reformation  in  South-west  Virginia — The  atonement — Bethany  Colleger- 
Converting  influence — Church  organization — Tours. 

ON  the  13th  of  June,  1840,  Mr.  Campbell  attended 
an  interesting  general  meeting  held  at  Charlottes- 
ville, Virginia.  Fifty-six  churches  were  heard  from  or 
represented,  and  the  principal  preachers  of  Virginia 
were  present.  The  object  was  to  consider  the  state  of 
the  cause  and  the  means  of  spreading  the  gospel  and 
promoting  education.  During  the  meeting,  which  lasted 
seven  days,  there  was  much  good  preaching,  great  har- 
mony and  warm  Christian  feeling,  and  much  interest 
•  and  hospitality  were  shown  by  the  citizens  of  Char- 
lottesville. The  Baptists  too  were  particularly  friendly, 
and  several  of  their  preachers,  together  with  the  chap- 
lain of  the  University,  came  to  hear  Mr.  Campbell. 
While  there,  he  delivered  a  written  address  to  the 
"Charlottesville  Lyceum  "on  the  question,  **Is  moral 
philosophy  an  inductive  science?"  which  was  published 
by  the  **  Lyceum."  He  also,  by  request,  addressed  the 
"Jeffersonian  Society"  of  the  University. 

At  this  meeting  he  became  first  personally  acquainted 
with  Chester  Bullard,  who  among  the  mountains  of 
South-west  Virginia,  had  been  for  some  years  laboring 
in  the  cause  of  religious  reformation,  without  any  par- 
ticular knowledge  of  the  movement  conducted  by  Mr. 
Campbell.     His  parents  were  Baptists,  and  his  mother 

471 


472  MEMOIR   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

a  remarkably  pious  woman.  His  early  childhood  waij 
spent  in  Montgomery  county,  near  the  source  of  the 
Roanoke  river,  three  miles  from  Christiansburg.  Re- 
markable even  then  for  his  religious  and  devotional 
tendencies,  he  experienced  much  mental  distress  as  he 
grew  up  in  vain  endeavors  to  obtain  that  assurance  of 
acceptance  which  he  had  been  taught  to  look  for,  and 
which  he  supposed  himself  to  receive  at  length  at  a 
Methodist  meeting  when  about  seventeen  years  of  age. 
The  Methodists  at  this  time  had  just  begun  to  make 
their  appearance  in  the  country,  which  was  filled  with 
irreligion,  there  being  then  in  Christiansburg  no  meet- 
ing-house, and  out  of  a  population  of  four  hundred  per- 
sons but  two  women  and  one  man  who  were  professors 
of  religion.  In  the  midst  of  this  society  it  was  to  con- 
stant family  prayer  and  reading  of  the  Scriptures  that 
young  Bullard  owed  the  maintenance  of  his  religious 
life,  for  preaching  was  very  seldom  heard  in  the  vi- 
cinity. After  his  supposed  conversion,  finding  himself 
unable  to  subscribe  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Methodist  dis- 
cipline, he  remained  disconnected  from  any  party. 
Deeply  anxious,  however,  on  the  subject  of  religion, 
devoted  to  the  Bible  and  possessing  much  independence 
of  mind,  he  learned  that  true  religion  consisted  in  the 
knowledge  and  love  of  God,  and  that  after  faith  and 
repentance  baptism  was  required.  About  this*  time  his 
eldest  brother  happened  to  be  traveling  in  Pennsylvania, 
and  after  supper,  at  a  public  house,  found,  upon  re- 
tiring early  to  his  room  from  the  ungenial  company-  at 
the  inn,  a  number  of  the  ^'  Christian  Baptist"  lying  on 
the  table.  This  he  read  before  going  to  rest,  and  was 
so  much  ple^vsed  that  he  advised  his  brother-in-law, 
upon  his  return  to  Montgomery  county,  Virginia,  to 
subscribe  for  it,  telling  him  that  the  editor  was  a  half 


JOSEPH  THOMAS.  473 

century  ahead  of  the  age.  This  was  done,  and  the 
last  volume  of  the  **  Christian  Baptist'*  and  first  of  the 
"  Harbinger"  were  duly  received,  but  for  want  of  in- 
terest in  the  matters  treated,  most  of  the  numbers  were 
thrown  aside  unread. 

During  that  year  (1831),  Mr.  BuUard  concluded  to 
study  medicine  with  Dr.  D.  J.  Chapman,  near  the  Sul- 
phur Springs,  in  Giles  county.  Here,  amid  some  of 
the  most  picturesque  and  romantic  scenery  of  the  Amer- 
ican continent,  near  where  Sinking  Creek,  passing  four 
miles  under  Thomas'  Hill,  empties  itself  into  New  River, 
and  where  the  latter,  more  than  a  hundred  feet  deep, 
washes  the  lofty  and  magnificent  cliffs  of  "  Thomas' 
Hill,"  Mr.  BuUard  pursued  his  medical  studies,  whilst 
religious  thoughts  still  predominated.  Earnestly  de- 
siring baptism,  but  unable  to  obtain  it  at  the  hands  of 
the  Baptists,  as  he  did  not  sufficiently  approve  of  their 
tenets  to  unite  with  them,  he  felt  himself  quite  isolated. 
That  year,  Landon  Duncan,  the  assessor  of  the  county, 
a  man  of  grave  and  thoughtful  aspect,  nearly  six  feet  in 
height,  with  dark  complexion,  black  hair  and  eyes,  and 
a  firm,  decided  manner,  happened  to  call  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  official  duties.  Falling  into  a  religious  con- 
versation with  him,  Mr.  Bullard  freely  communicated 
to  him  his  feelings  and  his  wishes,  and  though  he 
frankly  expressed  his  dissent  from  some  of  the  views 
held  by  Mr.  Duncan,  the  latter  agreed  to  baptize  him. 

Landon  Duncan  had,  when  young,  united  with  the 
Baptists,  and  was  ordained  August,  1813.  After  some 
time,  however,  he  adopted  the  sentiments  of  the  ^'Chris- 
tian Connection,"  chiefly  through  the  influence  of  Joseph 
Thomas. 

This  Joseph  Thomas  was  a  somewhat  remarkable 
man,  born  in  North  Carolina,  from  whence  he  removed 

40* 


474        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

with  his  father  to  the  summit  of  the  lofty  hill  in  Giles 
county,  where  he  became  deeply  imbued  with  religious 
feeling,  and  began  while  yet  a  young  man  to  recommend 
religion  to  his  neighbors.  Associating  with  O'Kelly 
and  the  southern  branch  of  the  Association  in  North 
Carolina,  he  desired  to  be  immersed,  when  O'Kelly 
persuaded  him  that  pouring  was  more  scriptural,  to 
which  he  submitted  after  stipulating  that  a  tubful  of 
water  should  be  poured  upon  him.  Becoming  after- 
ward fully  satisfied  that  immersion  alone  was  baptism, 
he  was  immersed  by  Elder  Plumer  in  Philadelphia. 
This  brought  him  into  communication  with  Abner  Jones, 
Elias  Smith  and  others  of  the  Eastern  branch  of  the 
Christian  Connection.  He  now  devoted  himself  wholly 
to  preaching  and  became  noted  for  the  extent  of  his 
travels  through  the  United  States,  making  from  his 
home,  then  at  Winchester,  Virginia,  frequent  tours 
through  the  Northern,  all  the  Middle  and  most  of  the 
Southern  and  Western  States.  In  person  he  was  tall, 
straight  as  an  Indian,  with  fair  skin  and  gray  eyes, 
beautiful  nose  and  mouth,  a  lofty  forehead,  long  chest- 
nut locks  parted  over  the  middle  of  the  head  and  falling 
upon  his  shoulders.  He  often  traveled  on  foot  dressed 
in  a  long  white  robe,  from  whence  he  was  called  the 
"White  Pilgrim,"  and  frequently,  in  imitation  of  Christ, 
retired  to  lonely  places  for  fasting  and  prayer.  San- 
guine and  ardent  in  his  temperament,  full  of  enthusiasm 
and  of  poetic  feeling,  he  made  a  strong  impression  upon 
the  people,  few  being  able  to  forget  the  wild  beauty 
and  sublimity  of  his  eloquence.  He  had  a  daughter 
married  to  John  O'Kane  of  Indiana,  formerly  men- 
tioned, and  was  not  ignorant  of  the  reformatory  views 
urged  by  Mr.  Campbell,  but  he  declined  to  adopt  them, 
being  greatly  absorbed  in  religious  frames  and  feelings, 


PROGRESS   OF  LIGHT.  475 

and  continued  the  mourning-bench  system ,  remaining 
in  connection  with  the  Eastern  branch  of  the  ''Chris- 
tian Connection,"  and  dying  finally  of  the  small-pox 
during  his  itinerant  labors  in  New  Jersey,  about  the 
year  1850. 

Chester  Bullard,  after  his  baptism  by  Landon  Dun- 
can, at  once  engaged  in  public  labors,  delivering  his 
first  discourse  on  the  evening  of  the  day  on  which  he 
was  baptized.  Avoiding  those  speculative  points  with 
which  Landon  Duncan  and  those  with  him  were  much 
occupied,  he  presented  simple  views,  of  the  gospel  and 
the  freeness  of  Christ's  salvation,  and  showed  that  faith 
came  by  hearing  the  word  of  God,  and  that  he  that 
believed  and  was  baptized  should  be  saved.  It  was  a 
considerable  time,  however,  before  he  succeeded  in 
making  enough  converts  to  form  a  church,  which  was 
finally  organized  near  the  source  of  the  Catawba  River 
in  1833.  ^y  degrees,  most  of  those  in  connection  with 
Landon  Duncan  gave  in  their  adhesion,  and  James 
Redpath  and  others  beginning  to  aid  in  the  public 
ministry,  a  number  of  churches  were  organized  in  that 
part  of  Virginia.  About  that  time  (1839)  ^'"'  Bullard 
happened  to  take  up  and  read  Mr.  Campbell's  Extra 
on  Remission,  which  he  met  with  at  the  house  of  his 
brother-in-law.  Surprised  and  delighted  with  the  new 
views  it  gave  of  the  gospel,  he  immediately  sought  out 
all  the  numbers  of  the  "  Christian  Baptist"  and  "  Har- 
binger," and  was  overjoyed  to  find  how  clear  and  con- 
sistent were  Mr.  Campbell's  views,  and  how  different 
from  the  slanderous  misrepresentations  which  had  been 
so  industriously  circulated  throughout  the  country  from 
the  press  and  the  pulpit.  He  immediately  began  to 
circulate  his  writings,  preaching  with  great  success  the 
reformatory  principles,  and  happy  in  finding  himself 


476        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

unexpectedly  associated  with  a  host  of  fellow-laborers 
in  the  same  cause.  Hearing  that  Mr.  Campbell  was 
to  visit  Charlottesville,  he  determined  to  meet  him,  and 
after  his  happy  interview  with  him  there,  kept  up 
with  him  afterward  constant  Christian  fellowship  and 
communication,  pursuing  his  earnest  labors  most  suc- 
cessfully through  South-west  Virginia,  where  he  con- 
tinued to  be  the  chief  support  of  the  cause. 

In  closing  his  notice  of  the  meeting  at  Charlottesville, 
Mr.  Campbell  made  an  allusion  to  the  '*  Dover  Decrees," 
and  a  friendly  reference  to  Andrew  Broaddus,  which 
elicited  from  the  latter  a  kind  letter,  in  some  sense  justi- 
fying the  action  of  the  Association  as  seemingly  neces- 
sary at  the  time. 

"  This,  however,"  he  went  on  to  say,  '*  furnishes  no  reason 
for  an  everlasting  separation.  If  we  have  erroneously  con- 
strued your  views,  and  in  our  zeal  for  the  great  truths  of  the 
gospel  have  wrongfully  put  you  under  the  '  ban  of  the  em- 
pire,* or  if  you  in  your  zeal  for  exploding  long-cherished 
errors  have  unconsciously  struck  at  important  truths,  or  if 
there  should  have  been  on  both  sides  something  erroneous — 
something  of  misconstruction  on  the  one  hand  and  rashness 
on  the  other — why,  for  aught  I  can  see,  there  might  yet  be 
hope  of  reconciliation  and  union ;  and  a  union  on  a  firm 
scriptural  basis  none  would  greet  more  cordially  than  myself. 

'*  Of  late  I  am  free  to  say  (I  mean  fSr  several  years  past) 
while  I  have  seen  in  the  '  Harbinger*  much  to  approve,  I  have 
met  with  nothing  for  which  my  fellowship  in  the  gospel 
would  be  forfeited.  I  cannot  say  the  same  for  some  things 
which  you  have  put  forth  in  former  times,  and  a  retraction  of 
such  things  would,  I  think,  be  proper  and  necessary.  I  re- 
gret, my  dear  sir,  that  you  should  be  separated  from  us,  and 
much  would  I  rejoice  in  seeing  your  talents  enlisted  in  the 
one  great  cause.  That  the  Church  needs  a  progressive  refoi- 
mation  I  have  no  doubt,  and  to  all  efforts  for  this  object  on  a 
scriptural  basis  I  would  say,  ^  God  speed.' 


MISCONCEPTIONS,  477 

"  Before  I  conclude  I  have  another  remark  to  offer.  There 
must  be  some  truths  which  are  vital  and  fundamental.  Among 
these  you  and  I  both  reckon  that  great  truth,  atonement  or 
expiation  by  the  blood  of  Christ.  Now,  I  find  in  your  dis- 
cussion with  a  venerable  correspondent  you  have  to  remind 
him  that  he  has  forgotten  to  state  this  among  the  designs  of 
Christ!  How  could  we  recognize  members,  not  to  say 
ministers^  who  leave  out  of  their  building  this  corner-stone? 
Verbum  sat*     Yours  in  the  blessed  hope, 

"  Andrew  Broaddus." 

To  this  Mr.  Campbell  replied  as  follows : 

''  My  Dear  Sir  :  I  thankfully  and  cordially  reciprocate  every 
good  feeling  expressed  in  your  letter  before  me,  and  shall  en- 
deavor with  similar  frankness,  candor  and  courtesy  to  respond 
to  it.  Charged,  as  I  have  sometimes  been,  with  the  desire  of 
making  a  new  party,  I  am  glad,  on  every  retrospection  of 
my  course  and  of  the  opposition  .offered  to  it,  that  neither 
friend  nor  foe  has  yet  been  able  to  adduce  a  single  fact  indi- 
cative of  such  a  wish  on  my  part.  On  the  contrary,  when 
the  history  of  this  effort  at  reformation  shall  have  been  faith- 
fully written,  it  will  appear,  we  think,  bright  as  the  sun,  that 
our  career  has  been  marked  with  a  spirit  of  forbearance,  mod- 
eration and  love  of  union,  with  an  unequivocal  desire  for  pre- 
serving the  integrity,  harmony  and  co-operation  of  all  who 
teach  one  faith,  one  Lord  and  one  immersion.  .  .  . 

"  But  our  views  and  objects  have  been  mistaken  by  many 
of  our  Baptist  brethren  and  friends ;  and  among  the  melan- 
choly monuments  of  it  are  the  Dover  Decrees  and  similar 
acts  -of  exclusion  from  other  quarters.  That  our  brethren 
have  been  to  blame  for  some  indiscretions,  as  well  as  some 
unguarded  expressions  in  giving  rise  to  these  acts  of  exclusion 
and  proscription,  I  am  frank  to  admit.  Indeed,  the  first  of 
these  anathemas,  the  Beaver  Decrees,  in  1829,  I  have  always 
believed  were  occasioned  by  some  violent  movements  on  ^he 
part  of  our  brethren  in  the  Western  Reserve,  Ohio,  in  the 
height  of  a  great  excitement.  Extremes  beget  extremes,  and 
when  the  ball  of  ultraism  is  put  in  motion,  there  is  no  fore- 


478         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

telling  its  place  of  resting.  .  .  .  Our  views  and  aims  are  now 
fully  developed,  and  the  consequence  is,  that  the  Baptist  peo- 
ple and  others  wonder  at  themselves,  and  say  that  we  have 
changed  and  are  not  so  heterodox  as  formerly.  The}*^  have 
heard  with  more  candor,  and,  like  the  passengers  approach- 
ing the  shore,  they  regard  us  as  nearing  their  prow  and  fast 
approximating  to  their  views.  Well,  this  gives  us  pleasure,  as 
it  proves  that  had  they  understood  us  at  first  as  at  last,  they 
would  not  have  given  us  to  the  enemy." 

He  then  adds :  *^  That  the  Baptist  society  needs  a  ^  pro- 
gressive reformation,'  I  must,  with  you,  candidly  and  cordially 
avow  as  my  opinion,  and  that  we  all  ought  to  be  up  and 
doing,  I  as  firmly  believe.  As  to  our  views  of  reformation, 
wherein  they  are  founded  in  truth  your  people  cannot  resist 
them.  They  cannot  keep  them  out  of  their  churches.  They 
will  pervade  all  Christendom  in  this  age  of  reading  and  dis- 
cussion. If  any  of  our  views  of  reformation  are  not  founded 
in  truth,  we  wish  to  see  them  exploded,  refuted  and  put  down. 
In  no  supposable  event  have  we  anything  to  fear  from  inti- 
macy with  your  churches  or  pastors.  Our  errors  we  desire  to 
lose,  and  our  truth  no  man  will  take  from  us. 

'"  Could  the  friends  of  truth  and  union  agree  to  meet  on  the 
Bible,  the  whole  Bible,  and  nothing  but  the  Bible,  acknow- 
ledge one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  body  of  Christ 
and  one  Spirit — could  they  leave  the  conscience  free  where 
God  has  lefl  it  free,  and  not  bind  their  private  opinions  upon 
one  another,  and  could  they  open  their  pulpits,  their  ears  and 
their  hearts  to  a  free  intercommunion  of  preachers  and  peo- 
ple, and  occasionally  celebrate  the  Christian  festival  together, 
and  devote  themselves  more  to  the  study  of  the  Bible  and  to 
Christian  holiness  of  life — what  a  blissful  time  we  should 
soon  have  !  What  a  prelude  and  pledge  of  a  better  state  of 
things!  They  might  gladly  suffer  the  world  to  call  them 
Christians,  Disciples,  Baptists,  Reformers,  as  they  pleased ; 
they  would  have  the  peace,  the  joy,  the  feast  within,  and 
would  advance  on  the  bulwarks  of  Satan,  conquering  •'ind  to 
conquer." 


THE  ATONEMENT,  479 

He  remarks  further :  '*  Your  reference  to  vital  and  funda- 
mental principles  I  approve.  But  with  regard  to  that '  ven- 
erabie  correspondent  *  we  must  not  judge  too  soon.  I  view  it 
as  an  oversight  rather  than  an  intentional  omission,  that  he 
left  out  the  expiatory  designs  of  the  Messiah's  death.  Men  long 
addicted  to  speculative  controversy  on  Trinitarian  and  Uni- 
tarian hypotheses  are  sometimes  scared  past  Mount  Zion, 
Mount  Calvary  and  the  Mount  of  Olives.  Some  good  men 
shudder  with  such  horror  at  the  idea  of '  placating  an  offended 
Deity/  or  '  satisfying  dishonored  justice,'  or  '  reconciling  an 
angry  God,*  that  they  are  afraid  to  use  the  words  '  expiation,' 
'  sin-offering,'  '  atonement,'  lest  they  should  resemble  the  chil- 
dren of  Ashdod.  For  my  part,  I  am  not  so  timid.  I  believe 
that  that  venerable  correspondent  will  come  out  with  a  full 
declaration  of  faith  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins,  according 
to  the  Scriptures,  and  that  '  without  the  shedding  of  his 
blood'  God  could  not,  in  honor  or  in  truth,  have  forgiven  one 
transgression.  But  let  him  have  his  own  time  and  his  own 
manner  of  communicating  his  conceptions." 

The  *'  venerable  correspondent "  referred  to  here  was 
B.  W.  Stone,  with  whom  Mr.  Campbell  was  then  dis- 
cussing the  subject  of  the  atonement.  Mr.  Campbell 
had  proposed  to  him  to  furnish  four  pages  per  month 
for  the  *'  Harbinger"  in  discussing,  in  a  friendly  way, 
the  terms  **  sin,"  "  sin-ofFering,"'*  atonement," *'  reconcil- 
iation," etc.  Anxious  to  promote  sound  scriptural  know- 
ledge, and  fearing  that  in  the  minds  of  some  there  still 
lingered  speculative  and  defective  conceptions  upon 
these  subjects,  he  thought  benefit  would  result  from 
such  an  examination  scripturally  conducted. 

Without  entering  into  the  details  of  this  discussion, 
much  of  which  is  devoted  to  sin-offering  under  the  law 
and  criticisms  upon  Hebrew  terms,  it  may  be  remarked 
that  there  seemed  to  be  an  entire  agreement  as  to  the 
effect  of  the  atonement  upon  the  believing  sinner.    Elder 


480         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

Stone,  after  expatiating  at  length  on  the  designs  of  the 
death  of  Christ,  says : 

"  It  has  been  proved  that  his  blood  purges,  cleanses,  sanc- 
tifies, washes  and  purifies  from  sin — that  by  it  sin  is  put  away, 
borne  away — that  by  it  we  are  justified,  pardoned,  redeemed, 
ransomed,  bought,  purchased  from  sin — by  it  we  are  pro- 
pitiated or  saved  from  enmity,  and  at-one^ed  to  Go(J.  By  it 
— I  need  not  repeat  all  I  have  written  in  this  and  the  former 
numbers — all  these  eflTects  are  the  work  of  God  in  and  for  us 
by  the  means  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and  obedient  be- 
lievers alone  are  the  subjects  of  them." 

As  it  respects,  however,  the  effects  of  the  atonement  upon 
God  in  relation  to  his  divine  justice  or  government.  Elder 
Stone  was  not  so  clear.  He  seemed  to  think  there  was  a 
want  of  Scripture  evide'nce  for  much  that  was  affirmed  on 
that  subject.  "  I  do  not  wish  to  be  understood,"  said  he,  "  to 
deny  that  such  effects  are  produced  on  God,  his  law  and 
government  by  sin-offering,  but  that  I  cannot  believe  them 
for  want  of  divine  evidence."  "  I  deny  not,"  said  he  again, 
'*  that  something  might  have  been  done  to  produce  this  effect 
on  God,  as  just  mentioned,  yet  that  something  I  find  not  re- 
corded, and  I  dare  not  be  wise  above  what  is  written.  There 
has  been  and  yet  is  a  great  deal  of  conjecture  and  speculation 
afioat  on  this  unrevealed  something,  which  I  do  consider  re- 
pugnant to  the  plain  Scriptures  of  divine  inspiration.  Yet 
he  that  believes  the  declaration  of  God  from  his  mercy-seat 
Jesus  Christ,  that  he  can  be  just  in  justifying  the  ungodly 
that  believe  in  Jesus,  and  acts  according  to  divine  direction, 
that  person  will  not  be  condemned,  though  he  may  not  un- 
derstand how  God  can  be  just  when  he  justifies  the  believer." 

Freely  accepting  the  full  revelation  of  Scripture  upon 
the  effects  of  the  death  of  Christ  in  respect  to  man, 
Mr.  Stone  was  cautious  of  dogmatizing  in  reference  to 
its  effects  upon  the  divine  government ;  a  point  in  re- 
lation to  which  so  little  is  really  said  in  the  Bible,  and 
which  is  involved  in  the  incomprehensible  mysteries  of 


REMEDIAL  SYSTEM.  48 1 

the  divine  nature.  He  seemed  afraid  to  make  any 
positive  advance  in  this  direction,  and  Mr.  Campbell 
accordingly  labored  at  considerable  length  to  show  that 
the  Scriptures  were  sufficiently  explicit  upon  that  part 
of  the  subject  also  if  examined  with  candor ;  and  after 
a  clear  presentation  of  it  in  various  aspects  he  thus 
sums  up  some  of  his  conclusions : 

"  The  death  of  Christ  was  for  the  redemption  of  trans- 
gressions, and  although  he  died  as  the  Lamb  of  God  to  take 
away  the  sin  of  the  world,  yet  only  that  portion  of  mankind 
who  have  faith  in  his  blood  do  actually  derive  pardon  and 
life  through  his  death.  But  it  was  as  much  for  the  redemp- 
tion of  transgression  passed  under  the  law  as  for  the  redemp- 
tion of  transgressions  under  the  gospel  that  Christ  died ; 
consequently  there  was  no  real  pardon  of  any  real  sins  in  the 
Jewish  sacrificial  system.     'The  law  made  nothing  perfect.' 

"  The  redemption  that  is  through  the  death  and  blood  of 
Jesus  is  necessary — that  is,  it  is  of  right  demanded ;  for  to 
exact  death  unless  justice  demanded  it  would  be  to  do  un- 
justly. It  was  necessary  that  God  might  be  just  in  forgiving 
sin.  Thus  Paul  to  the  Romans  and  to  the  Hebrews  repre- 
sents redemption  from  sin  through  the  blood  or  death  of 
Christ.  This  redemption  or  deliverance  is  what  is  usually, 
though  improperly,  called  ^  the  merits*  or  'worth'  of  his 
death.  Certainly  it  is  the  efficacy  of  his  death ;  for  on  this 
redemption  justice  rests  its  plea  while  consenting  wjfh  mercy 
in  forgiving  sin.  God  has  then  set  forth  the  person  and 
blood  of  his  Son  as  the  mercy-seat,  that  he  might  be  truly 
just  and  appear  so  before  the  universe,  in  forgiving  sins  com- 
mitted against  him  as  the  Lawgiver  of  all  lawful  and  moral 
intelligences. 

"  If  I  am  tedious  here.  Brother  Stone,"  he  continues,  "  it 
is  because  I  delight  to  be  tedious  upon  this  basis  of  the  basis 
of  the  whole  remedial  system.  I  pretend  not  to  fathom  the 
ocean,  nor  do  I  aim  at  comprehending  the  wonderful  ways 
of  the  infinite  Intelligence,  but  when  God  speaks  I  must 
TOL.  II.— 2  F  41 


4S2        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL. 

listen,  and  when  he  explains  himself  it  is  a  sin  not  to  en- 
deavor to  understand  him.  He  has  spoken  often  and  through 
various  persons  on  this  transcendent  theme.  If  it  be  ortho- 
doxy or  heterodoxy,  I  care  not;  but  I  believe  that  man  is 
fallen  ;  that  the  wages  of  sin  is  death;  that  death  has  passed 
through  all  generations  of  man  because  all  have  sinned ;  that 
sacrifice  has  its  origin  here ;  that  God  sent  man  out  of  Eden 
not  clothed  with  silk  or  cotton  or  in  the  bark  of  trees,  but  in 
the  skins  of  slain  beasts ;  that  all  the  blood  of  all  slain  ani- 
mals never  took  away  the  deep  stain  of  the  least  human  sin 
against  God's  law  ;  that  the  Jewish  sacrifices  and  all  divinely- 
ordained  sacrifices  were  but  the  types  of  the  sin-oflTering  of 
my  Lord  and  King ;  that  the  new  covenant  has  in  it  a  real  re- 
mission of  all  sins,  because  mediated  by  Emmanuel  and  sealed 
by  his  own  blood ;  that  God  as  King  cannot  now  be  just  in 
forgiving  sin,  having  as  Lawgiver  said.  The  soul  that  sinneth 
shall  die^  but  through  the  death  of  his  Son.  I  moreover  be- 
lieve that  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanses  us  from  all  sin — 
not  our  tears  and  our  penitence,  but  his  blood  ;  and  that  blood 
must  be  seen,  believed  and  acquiesced  in  according  to  God's 
own  appointed  way.  Hence  the  command,  '  Believe,  repent, 
and  be  baptized y<?r  the  remission  of  sins^ 

^'  I  admire  your  scrupulosity  about  Bible  terms  and  Bible 
ideas.  I  venerate  the  man  that  venerates  the  word  of  God. 
God  himself  honors  with  special  tokens  of  his  love  the  man 
that  trembles  at  his  word.  You  know  I  have  never  been 
solicitous  of  reputation  at  the  hands  of  a  downy  and  stall-fed 
orthodoxy.  I  never  have  courted  such  popular  applause. 
Well,  then,  I  am  not  to  be  suspected  of  any  leaning  that  way. 
But  after  placing  myself  in  every  attitude  favorable  to  an 
impartial  consideration  of  all  these  great  points,  I  do,  while 
deprecating  much  of  the  unauthorized  though  consecrated 
jargon  on  trinity,  unity,  atonement,  sacrifice,  etc.,  etc.,  and 
lamenting  the  fragmentaiy  caricatures,  rather  than  expositions 
of  the  true  doctrine  by  weak  and  conceited  expositors  of  that 
school ;  nevertheless,  the  true  and  proper  divinity  or  godhead 
of  my  Lord  Messiah  and  the  real  sin-expiating  value  and  cflS- 


DISCUSSION  BENEFICIAL.  483 

cacy  of  his  death,  and  of  his  death  alone,  based  upon  his  peer- 
less worth  and  divine  majesty,  are  the  rock  of  my  salvation — 
the  basis  of  all  my  hopes  of  immortality — the  very  anchor  of 
my  soul  amidst  the  shaking  of  the  earth,  the  upheaving  of  the 
ocean  and  all  the  tumults  and  debates  of  the  people. 

*' A  religion  not  honoring  God  the  Father  of  all — not  rely- 
ing upon  the  person,  mission  and  death  of  the  Word  incar- 
nate— not  inspired,  cherished,  animated  and  inflamed  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  dwelling  in  my  soul,  is  a  cheat,  a  base  counter- 
feit, and  not  that  athletic,  strong  and  invincible  thing  which 
armed  the  martyr's  soul  against  all  the  terrors  that  earth  and 
hell  could  throw  around  the  Redeemer,  his  cause  and  people." 

The  article  to  which  the  above  passage  is  a  part  of 
the  reply  closed  the  discussion,  B.  W.  Stone  deeming 
it  unnecessary  to  continue  it.  Mr.  Campbell  greatly 
desired  to  pursue  the  subject  farther,  hoping  to  bring 
Elder  Stone  to  a  more  clear  and  definite  statement  of 
views.  He  acquiesced,  however,  in  Elder  Stone's  wish 
to  close  the  discussion,  in  reference  to  which  he  remarks : 

^*  I  am  persuaded  it  will  not  be  without  advantage  to  the 
cause  of  Reformation  that  so  much  has  been  written  on  the 
subject  in  the  way  of  discussion — with  one,  too,  who  has 
spent  so  many  years  in  debates  and  discussions  on  that  or 
some  kindred  branch  of  the  same  subject. 

**  All  admit  the  excellency  of  the  character  of  Elder  Stone, 
however  they  may  regard  him  as  muddy  and  confused  on 
some  aspects  of  that  all-important  question.  For  my  own 
part,  I  much  desired  that,  as  he  had  ceased  from  all  teaching 
and  preaching  of  his  former  speculations  on  this  and  other 
subjects,  for  which  the  commencement  of  his  career,  some 
forty  years  ago,  was  distinguished,  he  would  also  in  writing 
have  given  a  permanent  and  full  exposition  of  those  points 
more  in  harmony  with  the  developments  and  objects  of  the 
current  reformation.  Some  of  our  readers  have  thought  he 
has  done  so,  while  others  are  of  a  contrary  opinion.  For  my 
part,  I  can  and  do  make  great  allowance  for  early  and  long- 


484        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

established  habits  of  thinking  and  speaking  on  all  religious 
questions,  and  .therefore  regard  Brother  Stone  as  confiding 
in  the  sacrifice  and  death  of  Christ  as  indispensable  to  salva- 
tion, and  though  by  no  means  acquiescing  in  some  of  his  inter- 
pretations of  the  meaning  and  designs  of  the  Messiah's  death, 
I  can  bear  with  a  difference  of  opinion  on  a  subject  so  vital, 
which  many  would  regard  as  an  insuperable  obstacle  to 
Christian  communion. 

'^  Men  may  and  do  hold  the  Head^  Christ,  and  his  death 
and  mediation  indispensable  to  salvation,  who,  nevertheless, 
have  very  inadequate  conceptions  of  some  of  the  aspects  of 
these  transcendent  subjects.  And  as  we  are  not  saved  by  the 
strength  and  comprehension  of  our  views,  but  from  obeying 
from  the  heart  the  apostolic  mould  of  doctrine,  more  stress 
ought  to  be  laid  upon  moral  excellence  than  upon  abstract 
orthodoxy,  especially  when  all  the  facts  and  documents  of 
Christianity  are  cordially  believed  and  cherished.  Our  bond 
of  union  is  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  body,  one 
spirit,  one  hope,  one  God  and  Father  of  all.  And  as  many 
as  walk  by  this  rule,  peace  be  on  them  and  mercy,  and  upon 
the  whole  Israel  of  God !" 

This  friendly  discussion  of  the  atonement  with  B. 
W.  Stone  proved,  as  Mr.  Campbell  expected,  highly 
beneficial,  and  served  to  clear  up  the  subject  in  the 
minds  of  many  who  had  belonged  to  the  *' Christian 
Connection,"  some  of  whom  candidly  admitted  that 
they  had  never  before  so  fully  understood  it.  Scarcely 
had  the  discussion  closed  when  B.  W.  Stone  was  stricken 
with  paralysis.  From  this,  however,  he  afterward  to 
some  degree  recovered,  and,  maintaining  still  much  of 
his  mental  vigor,  continued  to  labor  on  with  his  usual 
earnestness  for  the  cause  of  the  Bible. 

On  the  1 2th  of  October,  1840,  another  addition  was 
made  to  Mr.  Campbell's  family,  and  as  this  was  the 
tenth  daughter  he  named  her  Decima.     About  the  same 


OPENING  OF  BETHANY  COLLEGE,  485 

time  Bethany  College  opened,  with  about  one  hundred 
students  in  attendance.  As  professors  and  students  of 
various  grades  in  all  the  departments  were  incommo- 
diously crowded  together  in  the  boarding-house  called 
the  *'  Steward's  Inn,"  the  only  building  yet  erected,  a 
good  deal  of  confusion  marked  the  early  period  of  the 
-^  session.  The  circumstances,  indeed,  were  very  unpro- 
pitious  for  a  fair  experiment,  especially  as  the  students 
were  strangers  to  each  other  and  to  the  faculty,  and  had 
not  been  subjected  to  the  moral  training  and  discipline 
of  the  f^imily  department  which,  according  to  Mr.  Camp- 
bell's scheme,  was  an  important  preparation  for  college. 
With  his  usual  activity  and  energy,  however,  he  ad- 
dressed himself  to  the  work  of  moulding  fhe  minds  of 
the  youths  present  in  conformity  with  the  great  princi- 
ples developed  in  the  Bible.  The  sacred  volume  was 
at  once  made  the  text-book  for  the  whole  college,  and 
he  proceeded  to  develop  every  morning  to  the  entire 
class,  as  he  alone  could  do  it,  the  great  facts  which  it 
presented.  His  wonderful  power  of  presenting  these 
facts  in  their  most  extended  relations,  his  simple  yet 
comprehensive  generalizations,  opening  up  new  fields  of 
thought  and  enlarging  the  horizon  of  knowledge,  en- 
chained the  attention  of  even  the  youngest  members  of 
the  class,  and  Sacred  History  became  at  once  the 
favorite  study.  Mr.  Campbell  taught  also  the  classes 
in  Intellectual  Philosophy,  Evidences  of  Christianity, 
Moral  Science  and  Political  Economy,  and  in  the 
church  upon  the  Lord's  day  all  had  the  opportunity  of 
hearing  those  grand  developments  of  the  Divine  teach- 
ings and  institutions  which  he  presented  and  of  witness- 
ing the  simple  forms  of  primitive  order  and  discipline. 
His  urbanity  and  kindness  and  his  genial  manner  gave 
him  great  personal  influence  with  the  students,  and,  with 

41  • 


4S6         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL, 

the  earnest  co-operation  of  the  faculty,  the  affairs  of  the 
college  prospered,  so  that  in  the  month  of  May  a  very 
favorable  report  was  made  of  a  growing  and  decided 
improvement  in  all  the  departments  of  the  institution. 

''  A  good  moral  influence,"  said  he,  "  seems  to  be  now  in 
the  ascendant,  and  a  general  determination  on  the  part  of  the 
students  to  maintain  a  high  standard  of  moral  excellence  and 
decorum  in  all  the  details  of  social  intercourse."  ..."  If 
there  be  any  one  point  in  the  science  of  morals  more  than  any 
other  universally  accredited  and  enforced,  it  is  tliat  the  fear 
and  reverence  of  the  Lord,  sometimes  called  piety,  constitute 
the  only  infallible  foundation  of  morality  and  good  manners." 

In  the  beginning  of  the  following  session  an  influx  of 
new  students,  unruly  and  untrained,  led  to  a  renewal 
of  disturbances.  The  prompt  exercise  of  discipline, 
however,  on  the  part  of  the  faculty  at  once  restored 
order,  and  from  this  time  forward  the  labors  of  the  insti- 
tution proceeded  most  successfully  in  the  new  college 
building  erected  during  the  summer. 

It  was  thought  expedient,  in  April  of  this  year  (1841), 
by  some  of  the  disciples  in  Kentucky  to  hold  a  public 
meeting  at  Lexington,  to  which  all  religious  parties 
were  invited  in  order  to  discuss  the  question  of  Christian 
union  :  ist.  As  to  its  desirability  ;  2d,  As  to  its  practica- 
bility. The  meeting,  at  which  Mr.  Campbell  was  pres- 
ent, was  largely  attended,  though  but  few  of  other  de- 
nominations were  there,  Dr.  Fishback  being  the  only 
Baptist  minister  who  took  an  active  part  in  the  meeting. 
The  discussion  of  the  important  subject  was  continued 
for  several  days,  and  the  following  resolution  was  at  last 
passed  unanimously : 

"  Resolved^  That  the  Bible,  and  the  Bible  alone,  is  a  suffi- 
cient foundation  on  which  all  Christians  may  unite  and  build 


MEANS  OF  REGENERATION.  487 

together,  and  that  we  most  affectionately  invite  all  the  relig- 
ious parties  to  an  investigation  of  this  truth." 

On  the  nth  of  September  of  this  year,  Mr.  Campbell 
was  bereaved  of  another  beloved  daughter,  Maria,  the 
wife  of  R.  Y.  Henley,  who  from  childhood  had  been 
noted  for  her  seriousness,  piety  and  amiability.  Inherit- 
ing a  delicate  constitution,  she  was  snatched  away  from 
her  affectionate  husband  and  several  small  children  in 
her  twenty-sixth  year,  but  with  patient  resignation  and 
well-founded  trust  yielded  her  meek  spirit  into  the 
hands  of  her  Saviour. 

About  this  time  Mr.  Campbell  held  a  brief  corre- 
spondence with  Elder  J.  M.  Peck  on  the  subject  of  spirit- 
ual influence.  At  the  close  of  the  discussion  of  this  sub- 
ject with  S.  W.  Lynd,  he  had  expressed  his  willing- 
ness to  discuss  the  question  with  any  Baptist  doctor,  and 
publish  the  controversy  in  a  volume  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  or  two  hundred  pages  for  general  circulation,  as  an 
end  of  the  matter.  This  proposition  was  accepted  by 
J.  M.  Peck  of  the  "Baptist  Banner,"  but  after  a  few 
communications  the  disputants  seemed  to  come  unex- 
pectedly to  so  close  an  agreement  that  the  discussion 
was  closed.     Mr.  Campbell  had  said  : 

"  The  truth  is  the  instrument,  the  means^  and  the  Spirit 
of  God  is  the  cause  or  agent  of  regeneration.  Such  are  my 
views  on  this  great  subject.  And,  my  dear  sir,  if  you  always 
make  the  word  the  instrument  of  regeneration,  you  may 
always  expect  me  to  concur  with  you  in  saying  that  it  is  but 
the  instrument,  and  not  the  first  cause  of  a  great  spiritual 
change." 

Mr.  Peck  expressed  his  high  gratification  with  these 
distinct  statements,  regretting  that  Mr.  Campbell  had 
been  so  long  misunderstood  on  this  topic  for  want  of 
such  a  declaration.     Mr.  Campbell  then  called  his  atten- 


488        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

tion  to  the  fact  that  the  proposition  which  he  had  from 
the  very  beginning  labored  to  sustain  was  precisely 
what  he  had  now  expressed — viz. :  that  "in  conversion 
the  Holy  Spirit  operated  through  the  truth,  and  not 
without  it,"  as  the  Baptists  had  taught.  As  Elder  Peck 
declined  to  affirm  this  dogma  of  the  Baptists,  and  en- 
deavored to  show  that  Mr.  Campbell  had  misunder- 
stood them  on  this  subject,  there  appeared  to  be  no 
longer  any  question  in  dispute,  and  Mr.  Campbell  thus 
closed  his  last  letter : 

'^  I  believe  and  teach  now,  as  I  did  thirty  years  ago,  that  the 
Father,  the  Word  and  the  Holy  Spirit  are  three  divine  names, 
indicative  of  perfect  equality  in  all  ,that  is  represented  by  the 
term  God  in  its  highest,  holiest  and  supreme  import,  and  that 
this  same  divine  nature  is  severally  and  personally  ascribed  to 
them  by  all  in  heaven  and  all  the  intelligent  on  earth,  in  all 
the  great  works  of  creation,  providence  and  redemption. 

^^  Without  this  distinction  in  the  divine  nature,  without  the 
mystery  of  divinity  exhibited  in  the  personal  relations  of 
Father,  Son  and  Holy  Spirit,  the  mystery  of  redemption  had 
been  impossible  in  conception,  design  and  execution.  God 
the  Father  so  loved  the  world  as  to  give  his  only  begotten 
Son  for  its  ransom  ;  *  The  Son  so  loved  the  world  as  to  give 
himself  up  to  the  death  for  us  all ;'  and  the  Spirit  has  so  loved 
us  as  to  make  his  abode  in  our  hearts  as  the  children  of  God ; 
and  thus  the  whole  ^  Godhead'*  is  fully  revealed,  admired, 
adored  in  the  mystery  of  man's  redemption. 

"  With  regard  to  the  operation  of  the  Spirit  through  the 
Word  on  sinners  and  on  saints,  while  we  strongly  affirm  the 
fact  of  his  sanctifying,  reviving,  cheering  and  saving  efficacy 
through  the  word  of  prophets  and  aposdes,  we  ought  to  teach 
no  new  terms,  phrases  or  dogmata — preach  good  news  to 
sinners  and  teach  holiness  to  the  converted — teach  the  Chris- 
tians to  pray  for  the  Spirit  in  all  its  holy  influences,  and  to 
lift  up  their  voices  to  the  Lord  for  all  his  promised  aids. 
Thus  the  love  of  God  will  be  poured  out  into  their  souls  by 


POWER  IN  THB   GOSPEL.  489 

his  Holy  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  them,  and  they  will  learn  to 
love  his  children  and  to  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  coming  glory. 
To  learn  that  such  are  your  views,  designs  and  practices  will 
greatly  add  to  the  esteem  I  entertain  for  you,  and  will  greatly 
encourage  me  in  pleading  for  the  sincere  and  perfect  union 
of  our  Father's  dear  children  in  order  to  the  conversion  of 
the  world. 

_  _  ±  _ 

"  Sincerely  and  affectionately  yours,        A.  Campbell." 

In  regard  to  this  vexed  subject  of  **  spiritual  influence" 
there  had  really  never  been  any  just  cause  of  contro- 
versy. The  dogmatic  popular  aflirmation  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  was  **  poured  out  "upon  unbelievers  to  work  in 
them,  regeneration  and  faith,  which  in  Mr.  Campbell's 
view  rendered  the  word  of  God  of  no  effect,  had  led 
him  to  assert  the  claims  of  the  latter  as  God's  power  to 
salvation.  He  did  not  deny  that  *'  influences"  of  various 
kinds  might  accompany  that  word,  but  on  these  he 
declined  to  enlarge,  and  was  careful  to  distinguish 
them  from  converting  -power ^  which  he  conceived  to 
reside  exclusively  in  the  word  or  gospel  itself,  just  as 
the  vegetative  power  or  life  resides  in  the  seed  sown  in 
the  earth,  and  not  in  any  of  the  circumstances,  such  as 
the  sowing,  the  heat  or  the  moisture,  which  attend  its 
development.  As  the  healing  power  of  the  physician 
is  in  his  medicine,  so  Mr.  Campbell  regarded  God's 
healing  power  as  contained  in  the  gospel,  and  forbore 
to  confound  with  it  those  influences  by  which  sinners 
are  induced  to  receive  it,  just  as  he  distinguished  the 
healing  power  of  the  physican  from  any  of  the  influ- 
ences which  might  induce  the  patient  to  take  the  medi- 
cine he  prescribed.  He  believed  in  spiritual  ministries 
of  various  kinds,  and  that  invisible  beings,tas  he  had 
said  in  his  discussion  with  Mr.  Waterman,  '^  by  an  ac- 
quaintance with  our  associations  of  ideas,  our  modes  of 


490        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

reasoning,  our  passions,  our  appetites,  our  propensi- 
ties and,  by  approaching  us  through  these  avenues, 
could  lead  us  backward  or  forward,  to  the  right  or  to 
the  left,  as  their  designs  might  require.  This  is  pos- 
sible and  compatible  with  our  views  of  spiritual  influ- 
ence. It  is  more  than  possible — it  is  probable.  I 
might  advance  farther  and  say  it  is  certain ;  for  it  has 
been  done."  These  **  accompanying  influences,''  how- 
ever, of  whatever  nature  they  might  be,  material  or 
spiritual,  human  or  divine,  Mr.  Campbell  regarded  as 
no  part  of  the  gospel,  and  as  adding  to  it  no  power. 

It  was  shown  by  Dr.  Richardson  about  this  time, 
in  a  series  of  essays  upon  **  Converting  Influence,** 
signed  by  some  one  of  the  letters  of  the  word  Luke^ 
that  while  the  agencies  which  induced  men  to  receive 
the  gospel  added  no  power  to  it  absolutely^  they  cer- 
tainly did  so  in  a  relative  point  of  view,  so  that  prac- 
tically the  same  effect  was  produced.  He  argued  that 
there  were  ftiany  different  obstacles  which  prevented 
the  gospel  from  reaching  the  heart  of  the  sinner,  such 
as  ignorance,  love  of  the  world,  etc.,  and  that  the  instru- 
mentality in  each  case  must  be  adapted  to  the  nature  of 
the  obstacle  to  be  removed.  Paul  said  (2  Cor.  iv.  3, 4), 
'*  If  our  gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  by  the  perishing  things 
by  which  the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds 
of  them  which  believe  not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious 
gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  should  shine 
unto  them."  Adopting  the  apostle's  figure,  it  was  shown 
that  while  opening  the  shutters  and  thus  permitting  the 
sun  to  shine  upon  a  person  in  a  dark  room  certainly 
added  no  additional  power  to  the  sun's  rays,  it  had  frac- 
tically  the  same  effect  as  if  these  had  become  so  in- 
creased in  power  as  to  penetrate  the  shutters.  There 
was  thus  no  need  of  supposing  any  absolute  increase 


LABORS  INCREASED,  49 1 

of  power  to  be  imparted  to  the  gospel,  since  all  that  was 
required  for  the  proper  exercise  of  its  power  was,  that 
the  obstacles  which  hindered  it  should  be  removed.  In 
order  to  the  accomplishment  of  this,  there  was  abundant 
room  for  both  divine  and  human  agency,  as  well  as  for 
prayer  and  persevering  effort  in  behalf  of  the  uncon- 
verted. Ignorant  as  men  necessarily  are  of  the  mys- 
teries of  spiritual  being,  there  was  no  occasion  to  ques- 
tion that  spiritual  ministries  of  various  kinds  might  be 
employed  in  guiding  men's  minds  to  a  saving  appre- 
ciation of  the  gospel,  and  that  such  ministries,  though 
superhuman^  might  not  be  necessarily  supernatural  ot 
miraculous,  but,  on  the  contrary,  perfectly  in  accord- 
ance with  the  nature  of  the  spiritual  agent,  as  well  as 
with  that  of  the  mind  itself.  As  these  varied  instru- 
mentalities, however,  added  absolutely  no  new  power  to 
the  gospel  itself,  Mr.  Campbell  was  evidently  correct  in 
continuing  to  affirm,  with  Paul,  that  the  gospel  was 
•'  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  be- 
Keveth."  It  was  also  evident  that  he  acted  wisely  and  in 
harmony  with  the  reformatory  principles  in  declining 
to  discuss  the  nature  of  the  influences  which  might  ac- 
company the  word,  as  this  evidently  belonged  to  the 
class  of  untaught  questions. 

The  establishment  of  the  college  had  greatly  increased 
Mr.  Campbell's  labors,  since,  in  addition  to  his  former 
engagements,  he  had  now  the  regular  instruction  of 
classes  to  attend  to,  as  well  as  the  affairs  of  many  of  the 
students,  who  were  constantly  applying  for  counsel  and 
assistance.  His  promptitude,  however,  and  wonderfully 
active  temperament,  seemed  to  render  everything  easy 
to  him,  and  he  never  appeared  to  lose  his  buoyancy  of 
spirits  or  to  be  unable  to  render  his  usual  hospitable  and 
personal  attentions  to  his  numerous  friends  and  visitors. 


49^        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

His  hope,  however,  of  being  released  from  the  pain  of 
protracted  absences  from  home,  and  of  being  allowed  to 
devote  his  remaining  years  to  a  constant  supervision  of 
the  college,  was  not  destined  to  be  realized.  The  need 
of  means  to  erect  the  necessary  buildings  and  to  estab- 
lish the  institution  permanently,  demanded  the  active 
services  of  a  soliciting  agent,  and  such  was  the  desire 
of  the  churches  and  the  public  abroad  to  see  and  hear 
Mr.  Campbell  that  they  soon  learned  to  make  it  a  con- 
dition of  their  donations  that  he  would  visit  them  in 
person. 

During  one  of  these  trips  in  the  summer  of  1842  he 
again  visited  Kentucky  and  a  portion  of  Ohio.  At 
Lexington  he  found  the  church  erecting  the  largest 
meeting-house  in  the  State,  and  in  a  very  prosperous 
condition  under  the  care  of  Dr.  L.  L.  Pinkerton.  He 
found,  also,' that  Dr.  Fishback,  who  had  previously 
been  but  partially  connected  with  the  cause  of  the  Ref- 
ormation, had  now  given  himself  and  his  influence 
wholly  to  it. 

"  The  anxiety  to  hear,"  said  Mr.  Campbell  in  his  notes  of 
the  tour,  ^^  and  the  interest  taken  in  the  cause  of  Reformation, 
never  were  greater  than  at  present.  The  crowds  that  in  all 
places  overfilled  the  most  spacious  buildings,  and  the  pro- 
found attention  shown  in  the  city  and  in  the  country  amongst 
all  ranks  and  classes  of  society,  show  that  the  cause  of  Ref- 
ormation has  not  been  preached  or  heard  in  vain  amongst 
this  intelligent  and  magnanimous  community.  Within  forty 
miles  of  Lexington,  during  two  months  immediately  pre- 
ceding my  arrival,  not  less  than  one  thousand  persons  had 
been  immersed.  In  Madison,  Lincoln  and  Garrard,  they 
were  obeying  the  gospel  by  hundreds.  Even  in  Danville,  tlie 
metropolis  of  Presbyterian  influence,  while  I  was  laboring  in 
Woodford  and  Fayette  a  few  days,  some  forty  or  fifty  persons 
obeyed  the  Lord.    In  the  Green  River  country,  too,  the  march 


SPIRIT  OF  INVESTIGATION.  493 

of  the  gospel  is  onward.  One  brother  informed  me  that  he 
has  within  a  few  months,  in  the  south-western  portion  of 
that  district,  immersed  some  three  hundred  and  fifty.  The 
success  of  Brothers  Johnson,  Rice  and  EUey  in  another  por- 
tion of  that  district  is,  as  usual,  rapid  and  irresistible.  People 
of  all  creeds  and  no  creeds,  of  all  manner  of  prejudices  and 
antipathies,  fraternize  and  amalgamate  under  the  broad  banner 
of  apostolic  Christianity." 

Deeply  impressed,  however,  with  the  importance  of  a  full 
exhibition  of  a  Christian  character,  he  adds :  ^^  But  ah  !  how 
much  is  wanting  to  bring  the  churches  up  to  the  standard  of 
Christian  piety  and  morality  I  In  personal,  domestic  and  con- 
gregational piety,  in  the  discharge  of  all  the  relative  duties  in 
the  practice  of  the  moral  and  social  excellences  of  our  re- 
ligion, how  far  yet  behind  the  models  which  the  apostolic 
records  deliver  to  us !" 

The  rapid  increase  of  the  churches  generally,  but 
especially  in  Kentucky,  where  the  membership  was 
already  estimated  at  forty  thousand,  impressed  Mr. 
Campbell  more  and  more  with  the  responsibilities  of 
his  position,  and  with  the  vast  importance  of  a  clear 
understanding  on  the  part  of  the  churches  in  regard  to 
the  whole  subject  of  organization  and  co-operation. 
He  continued,  therefore,  his  able  series  of  essays  on 
this  topic,  in  which,  with  his  usual  freedom  of  thought 
and  earnest  desire  for  truth,  he  proposed  to  determine 
by  a  careful  induction  the  true  plan  of  scriptural  organ- 
ization. The  spirit  in  which  he  ever  sought  for  higher 
attainments  in  divine  knowledge  is  well  indicated  in 
the  following  passage  from  these  essays : 

'^  It  is  always  more  or  less  detrimental  to  the  ascertainment 
of  truth  to  allow  our  previous  conclusions  to  assume  the  posi- 
tion of  fixed  and  fundamental  truths,  to  which  nothing  is  to 
be  at  any  time  added,  either  in  the  way  of  correction  or  en- 
largement.    On  the  contrary,  we  ought  rather  to  act  under 

42 


494        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

the  conviction  that  we  may  be  wiser  to-day  than  yesterday,  and 
that  whatever  is  true  can  suffer  no  hazard  from  a  careful  and 
candid  consideration.  In  this  view  of  the  subject  I  am  accus- 
tomed to  examine  all  questions — literarj^,  moral  or  religious ; 
because  I  am,  from  much  reflection  and  long  observation,  con- 
strained to  regard  it  as  the  only  safe  and  prudential  course." 

Candidly  admitting  the  many  evils  connected  with  a 
want  of  proper  government  on  the  part  of  the  churches, 
the  irresponsibility  of  preachers  to  the  Church  and  of 
churches  to  the  Christian  community  at  large,  he  en- 
deavored to  show  that  in  the  beginning  all  ministers 
were  called  either  by  the  Lord  in  person,  by  his  people 
or  by  his  providences,  and  that  it  was  essential  to  the 
dignity  and  efficiency  of  the  ministerial  office  that  those 
only  should  be  authorized  and  sent  out  by  the  churches 
who  had  given  full  proof  of  their  qualifications. 

While  these  essays  were  in  progress  of  publication, 
he  received  a  series  of  short,  courteous  and  extremely 
well-written  articles,  reviewing  them  and  insisting  upon 
the  importance  of  a  wise,  comprehensive  and  efficient 
church   organization.     These   articles   were   signed  A 

C n,  and  proposed  that  the  field  from  which  the 

facts  required  for  a  just  induction  were  to  be  gathered, 
should  embrace  not  merely  the  statements  of  Scripture, 
but  the  well-attested  practice  of  the  age  immediately 
subsequent  to  the  apostolic.  It  was  urged  in  them  that 
only  the  germs  of  the  proper  organization  could  be 
found  in  the  Scripture,  and  that  this  alone  did  not 
furnish  sufficient  data  for  a  complete  system  of  church 
organization.  In  his  very  interesting  and  able  reply 
Mr.  Campbell  demands  the  authentic  documents  by 
which  the  assumed  deficiency  of  Scripture  is  to  be 
supplied  and  the  question  settled,  declaring  that  he 
had  searched  antiquity  in  vain  for  them. 


DIOCESAN  EPISCOPACY,  495 

''  The  Bible  alone,"  said  he,  "  must  always  decide  every 
question  involving  the  nature,  the  character  or  the  designs  of 
the  Christian  institution.  Outside  of  the  apostolic  canon, 
there  is  not,  as  it  appears  to  me,  one  solid  foot  of  terra  firma 
on  which  to  raise  the  superstructure  ecclesiastic.  The  foun- 
dation of  apostles  and  prophets  is  that  projected  and  ordained 
by  the  Lawgiver  of  the  universe.  On  this,  and  on  this  only, 
can  we  safely  found  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  whether  we 
contemplate  its  doctrine,  its  discipline  dr  its  government. 
Nothing  less  authoritative  and  divine  can  fully  satisfy  the 
conscientious  of  all  parties,  or  withstand  the  assaults  of  the 
adversaries  of  our  most  holy  faith.  Whenever  we  close  the 
apostolic  records  and  open  the  volumes  of  the  "  primitive 
Fathers,"  the  converts  and  successors  of  the  apostles,  as  they 
are  reverentially  designated,  we  find  ourselves  on  a  sea  of 
uncertainties,  without  a  single  haven  in  our  horizon  or  in  our 
chart." 

Mr.  CampbeU's  view,  then,  was  that  the  "  germs  "  of 
church  organization,  as  his  correspondent  termed  them, 
furnished  by  the  Scriptures  were  entirely  sufficient,  and 
that  the  facts  and  principles  developed  in  the  Scriptures 
needed  only  to  be  applied  according  to  the  exigencies 
of  time  and  circumstances.  He  thought,  therefore,  it 
would  be  best  to  stop  where  and  when  the  Bible  stops, 
and  to  regard  everything  beyond  its  teachings  as  mat- 
ters left  to  human  prudence  or  mere  questions  of  expe- 
diency. 

It  was  doubtless  the  benevolent  intention  of  Mr. 
Campbell's  correspondent  (who  was  readily  recognized 
as  one  of  the  most  pious  prelates  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  West) ,  in  laying  before  the  readers  of 
the  "  Harbinger"  the  claims  of  diocesan  episcopacy,  to 
win  over  to  his  system  of  church  organization  this  large 
and  rapidly-increasing  body  of  Reformers,  who,  as  they 
themselves  admitted,  were  suffering  from  many  of  the 


49^  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

evils  connected  with  a  want  of  proper  systematic  ar- 
rangement and  co-operation.  Such  an  overture  could 
not  have  proceeded  more  appropriately  or  with  better 
prospect  of  success  from  any  other  individual  than  the 
amiable  prelate  referred  to,  for  whom  Mr.  Campbell 
had  himself  the  highest  personal  respect,  and  who  com- 
manded largely  the  sympathy  of  the  Reformers  from 
his  having  expressed  openly  his  conscientious  convic- 
tion that  immersion  alone  was  baptism,  and  who  was 
known  to  cherish  moreover  an  earnest  wish  for  a  Chris- 
tian union  of  all  parties,  which  he  seriously  thought 
could  be  most  happily  consummated  by  combining  the 
immersion  of  the  Baptists,  the  zeal  of  the  Methodists 
and  the  apostolic  succession  of  the  Church  of  England. 
Mr.  Campbell,  however,  preferring  to  this  fanciful  ec- 
clesiastic patchwork,  the  baptism,  the  zeal,  the  truth 
and  love  of  the  primitive  disciples  and  the  real  and  true 
apostles  of  Christ,  showed  clearly  that  in  the  nature  of 
the  case  the  latter  could  have  no  successors,  and  that  it 
was  long  after  the  apostolic  age  before  one  bishop  pre- 
sided over  more  th^n  one  church.  The  effect  of  this 
interesting  discussion  confirmed  the  view  previously 
held  by  the  Reformers,  that  bishops  and  deacons  were 
the  only  regular  officers  of  the  Christian  Church.  Mr. 
Campbell  admitted,  indeed,  that,  especially  where  the 
elders  were  numerous,  there  was  formerly,  and  should 
still  be,  one  who  acted  as  president  of  the  eldership — 
not,  indeed,  as  being  superior  in  rank,  but  merely  as 
primum  inter  pares. 

He,  at  this  period,  in  common  with  many  other  intel- 
ligent Reformers,  was  fearful  of  a  tendency  in  the 
Church  to  extreme  views  of  independency,  and  was 
much  alive  to  the  great  need  of  proper  co-operation. 

"  The  New  Testament,'*  says  he,  **  teaches  itself,  both  by 


BIBLE  SOCIETIES.  497 

precept  and  example,  the  necessity  of  connected  and  concen* 
trated  action  in  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom.  It  lays 
down  some  great  principles  and  applies  them  to  the  emergen- 
cies that  arose  in  the  primitive  times : 

"  I  St.  It  inculcates  the  necessity  of  co-operation,  and  speci- 
fics instances.  2d.  It  inculcates  the  necessity  of  two  distinct 
classes  of  officers  in  every  particular  community.  3d.  It  in- 
dicates the  necessity  of  a  third  class  of  public  functionaries, 
and  gives  examples  of  diverse  ministries.  4th.  It  exemplifies 
the  utility  and  the  need  for  special  deliberations  and  of  con- 
ventions in  peculiar  emergencies.  5th.  It  allows  not  persons 
to  send  themselves  or  to  ordain  themselves  to  office,  but 
everywhere  intimates  the  necessity  of  choice,  selection,  mis- 
sion and  ordination.  6th.  It  inculcates  a  general  superin- 
tendency  of  districts  and  cities  by  those  who  preside  over  the 
churches  in  those  districts ;  that  is,  it  makes  it  the  duty  of  a 
Christian  ministry,  by  whatever  name  it  may  be  called,  to  take 
care  of  the  common  interests  of  the  kingdom  in  those  places 
and  districts  in  which  it  is  located  and  resident.  7th.  It 
claims  for  every  functionary  the  concurrence  of  those  portions 
of  the  community  in  which  he  labors,  and  holds  him  respon- 
sible to  those  who  send,  appoint,  or  ordain  him  to  office." 

In  harmony  with  his  views  of  duty,  as  there  was  no 
organization  among  the  Reformers  for  the  circulation  of 
the  Bible,  Mr.  Campbell  had  contributed  to  both  of  the 
American  Bible  societies,  in  each  of  which  he  was  a 
member  and  life-director,  and  he  urged  the  churches  to 
send  liberal  contributions  to  William  Colgate  of  New 
York,  treasurer  of  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  which  had  now  undertaken  to  provide  pure 
versions  of  the  Scriptures  for  the  world. 

In  the  fall  of  1842,  Mr.  Campbell  visited  the  cities  of 
Richmond,  Baltimore,  Philadelphia  and  New  York  in 
the  interests  of  the  college,  and  obtained  important  ad- 
ditions  to   its   philosophical   and   chemical   apparatus, 

TOL.  II.— 2  G  42  * 


49^        MEMOIRS   OP  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

bought  a  thousand  volumes  for  its  library  and  received 
donations  and  subscriptions  to  the  amount  of  $5000. 
During  his  tour  he  attended  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
churches  in  Lower  Virginia  at  Richmond  in  the  latter 
part  of  October,  and  that  of  the  upper  portion  at  Char- 
lottesville in  the  first  week  of  November.  He  found  the 
cause  of  the  Reformation  making  much  better  progress 
than  formerly,  owing  to  the  faithful  labors  of  the  evan- 
gelists and  elders  of  the  churches  and  the  good  influ- 
ence of  the  **  Christian  Publisher,**  conducted  at  a  con- 
siderable sacrifice  by  R.  L.  Coleman,  aided  by  the  elo- 
quent but  retiring  J.  W.  Goss.  A  number  of  additions 
were  made  at  these  meetings,  at  the  close  of  which  Mr. 
Campbell  traveled  eastward  with  R.  L.  Coleman,  who 
agreed  to  accompany  him  as  far  as  Philadelphia.  So- 
journing with  the  intelligent  G.  Austin  and  his  amiable 
family  at  Baltimore,  he  delivered  several  addresses 
there,  and  was  much  pleased  with  the  earnestness, 
gravity  and  Christian  affection  which  were  manifested 
by  the  Church  in  the  worship  on  the  Lord's  day.  Mr. 
Coleman  remaining  for  a  few  days  at  the  request  of  the 
brethren  to  continue  the  meetings,  Mr.  Campbell  pro- 
ceeded to  his  appointment  at  Philadelphia,  where  he 
was  rejoined  by  Mr.  Coleman  on  the  following  Monday. 
Here  he  greatly  embarrassed  the  latter  by  announcing, 
at  the  close  of  his  discourse  in  the  evening,  that  Mr. 
Coleman  had  arrived  and  would  speak  alternately  with 
him  during  the  evenings  of  the  week.  Mr.  Coleman, 
accordingly,  spoke  the  next  evening,  but  having  a  very 
modest  estimate  of  his  own  ability,  and  feeling  that  the 
people  would  desire  to  hear  Mr.  Campbell,  he  took  the 
cars  for  home,  and  left  Mr.  Campbell,  as  he  said,  **  to 
alternate  with  himself." 

In  Philadelphia  the  church,  now  numbering  about 


VERSIONS   OF  THE  BIBLE.  499 

one  hundred  and  fifty,  was  meeting  in  a  comfortable 
house  at  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Gaskill  streets.  An- 
other church  of  some  seventy  or  eighty  members  had 
also  been  organized  on  Race  street,  where  Mr.  Camp- 
bell delivered  one  discourse. 

At  New  York  he  spoke  twice  in  Washington  Hall, 
Broadway,  to  the  citizens,  and  once  to  the  brethren. 
He  spent  also  a  pleasant  evening  with  Mr.  Buchanan, 
the  British  Consul,  and  his  excellent  family.  Mr. 
Buchanan  was  noted  for  his  general  benevolence  and 
his  faithful  discharge  of  his  office,  which  he  was  about 
to  resign,  in  order  to  remove  to  Canada,  near  the  Falls 
of  Niagara.  He  was  much  attached  also  to  the  ancient 
order  of  things,  and,  though  somewhat  precise  in  some 
of  his  views,  remained  through  life  a  steadfast  friend  of 
religious  reformation.  While  in  New  York,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell called  at  the  Bible-rooms  to  visit  Elder  Babcock, 
and  took  great  delight  in  examining  the  various  versions 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  and  especially  the 
celebrated  version  of  the  whole  Bible  into  the  Burmese, 
made  by  the  eminent  missionary,  Elder  Judson.  Of 
this  he  says : 

**What  a  mercy,  thought  I,  on  glancing  over  its  pic- 
turesque pages,  God  has  vouchsafed  to  these  fifteen  or  twenty 
millions  of  benighted  souls  in  whose  vernacular  the  WORD 
OF  LIFE  is  sent  abroad  !  The  gospel  is  thus  preached,  being- 
read^  to  that  ancient  people.  How  many,  through  that  infinite 
future  yet  before  us,  may  have  reason  to  bless  God  that  Judson 
was  sent  to  their  shores  and  permitted  to  learn  their  language, 
that  he  might  make  known  to  them  the  ways  of  salvation  I" 

On  his  return  from  New  York  he  spent  several  days 
at  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia,  and  then,  taking  the 
cars  to  Cumberland,  and  the  stage  from  thence  to 
Wheeling,   reached    home    in    safety,   and   continued 


500 


MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 


punctually  to  fulfill  his  college  duties  during  the  re- 
mainder of  the  session.  Near  its  close  (May  ii,  1843) 
his  family  was  increased  by  the  birth  of  another  son, 
named  William,  who  was  the  last  of  his  own  immediate 
family  of  fourteen  children,  of  whom  only  seven  were 
at  this  time  living. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

Overtures  for  a  discussion  with  the  Presbyterians — N.  L.  Rice — Incidents  of 
the  debate — Its  character  and  results — Mr.  Campbell's  labors. 

DURING  his  visit  to  Kentucky  in  the  fall  of  1842, 
Mr.  Campbell  received  intimations  that  the  Pres- 
byterians there  had  become  quite  favorable  to  a  public 
discussion  of  the  points  of  difference  between  them  and 
the  Reformers.  While  at  Richmond,  in  Madison  coun- 
ty, he  was  assured  by  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Brown  that  arrange- 
ments would  be  made  for  such  a  discussion,  and  in 
September,  after  his  return  home,  he  received  a  letter 
from  Mr.  Brown  informing  him  that  a  committee  would 
be  appointed  for  the  purpose  at  the  Synod  which  was 
to  convene  at  Maysville  during  the  following  month. 
At  this  meeting,  accordingly,  John  C.  Young,  R.  J. 
Breckinridge,  N.  L.  Rice,  J.  F.  Price  and  J.  H.  Brown 
were  selected,  Messrs.  Brown  and  Rice  being  a  sub- 
committee of  arrangements.  Subsequently,  Rev.  J.  K. 
Burch,  who  had  been  Mr.  McCalla's  moderator  twenty 
years  before,  was  substituted  for  R.  J.  Brieckinridge. 
Mr.  Campbell  chose  as  his  committee  President  James 
Shannon,  Dr.  J.  Fishback,  A.  Raines  and  John  Smith. 
A  long  correspondence  ensued  touching  the  affair,  and 
it  was  not  till  the  month  of  August  in  the  next  year 
(1843)  that  the  matter  was  finally  arranged.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell had  hoped  to  have  for  his  opponent  President 
Young,  of  Centre  College,  a  gentleman  distinguished 

601 


502        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL,     • 

for  his  urbanity  and  amiability,  as  well  as  for  his  literary 
and  theological  attainments,  and  whose  position  would, 
he  thought,  give  more  weight  to  the  discussion.  Presi- 
dent Young's  health,  however,  having  failed,  Mr.  Brown 
informed  Mr.  Campbell  in  July  that  Rev.  N.  L.  Rice, 
of  Paris,  in  Bourbon  county,  had  been  chosen  instead 
of  him.  This  selection  was  not  very  agreeable  to 
Mr.  Campbell,  as  in  several  discussions  in  which  Mr. 
Rice  had  already  engaged  with  the  Reformers  he  had 
manifested  a  prejudiced  and  hostile  spirit,  which  Mr. 
Campbell  thought  quite  unfavorable  to  a  calm,  Chris- 
tian-like and  satisfactory  investigation  of  the  questions 
at  issue.  As  he  was  choisen,  however,  on  the  part  of 
the  Presbyterians,  he  was  constrained  to  acquiesce. 
The  propositions  to  be  discussed  were  the  following : 

"  I.  The  immersion  in  water  of  a  proper  subject  into  the 
name  of  the  Father,  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  one 
only  apostolic  or  Christian  baptism  :  Mr.  C.  aj^rms. — II.  The 
infant  of  a  believing  parent  is  a  scriptural  subject  of  baptism  : 
Afr,  /?.  affirm^, — III.  Christian  baptism  is  for  the  remission 
of  past  sins:  Mr,  C.  affirms. — IV.  Baptism  is  to  be  adminis- 
tered only  by  a  bishop  or  ordained  presbyter :  Mr.  R.  affirms, 
— V.  In  conversion  and  sanctiiication  the  Spirit  of  God  oper- 
ates on  persons  only  through  the  Word  of  truth :  Mr.  C 
affirms. — VI.  Human  creeds,  as  bonds  of  imion  and  com- 
munion, are  necessarily  heretical  and  schismatical :  Mr.  C. 
affirms.^* 

The  debate  commenced  on  Wednesday,  the  15th  of 
November  (1843),  in  the  Reform  church  at  Lexington. 
Judge  Robertson  was  selected  by  Mr.  Rice  as  modera- 
tor— Colonel  Speed  Smith  by  Mr.  Campbell.  These 
selected  as  president  Honorable  H.  Clay,  who  kindly 
consented  to  act.  No  question  was  to  be  discussed 
more  than  three  days  unless  by  agreement.     Each  de- 


CHARACTER  OF  THE  DEBATE,  503 

bater  was  to  furnish  a  stenographer  and  to  have  the 
privilege  of  making  verbal  or  grammatical  changes  in 
his  report.  The  net  available  amount  resulting  from 
the  publication  of  the  debate,  it  was  agreed,  should  be 
equally  divided  between  the  two  Bible  societies. 

This  public  debate,  the  last  in  which  Mr.  Campbell 
was  ever  engaged,  continued  during  sixteen  days,  and 
excited  extraordinary  interest.  The  well-known  ability 
of  Mr.  Campbell,  the  reputation  which  Mr.  Rice  had 
already  acquired  for  readiness  in  debate,  and  the  fact 
that  both  disputants  seemed  to  have  the  endorsement  of 
the  religious  communities  to  which  they  respectively 
belonged,  naturally  gave  to  the  discussion  a  high  de- 
gree of  importance.  At  first  it  was  contemplated  that 
several  on  each  side  should  take  part  in  it.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, however,  preferring  single  combat,  it  was  simply 
stipulated  that  the  discussion  should  be  conducted  in 
the  presence  of  Dr.  Fishback,  President  Shannon,  John 
Smith  and  A.  Raines  on  the  part  of  the  Reformation ; 
and  President  Young,  J.  K.  Burch,  J.  F.  Price  and  J. 
H.  Brown  on  the  part  of  the  Presbyterians. 

It  would  be  out  of  place  to  attempt  to  furnish  here 
even  an  epitome  of  the  facts  and  arguments  adduced  in 
a  debate  which,  when  published  with  the  preliminary 
correspondence,  made  a  volume  of  nine  hundred  and 
twelve  closely-printed  octavo  pages.  Of  its  general 
character,  it  may  be  safely  affirmed  that  it  fully  met 
public  expectation,  presenting  avast  amount  of  interest- 
ing information,  and  as  clear  an  exposition  of  the  errors 
as  well  as  of  the  truths  involved  as  had  ever  been  pre- 
sented. The  difference  in  the  intellectual  character, 
and,  consequently,  in  the  method,  of  the  two  disputants 
became  quite  evident  from  the  very  beginning.  In  the 
discussion  of  the  very  first  proposition,  Mr.  Campbell's 


504         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL 

tendency  to  comprehensive  views,  and  his  skill  in  dis- 
engaging the  grand  fundamental  principles  of  things, 
became  manifest  in  his  endeavor  to  establish  the  gene- 
ral law  that  **  where  words  denote  specific  actions  their 
derivatives  through  all  their  various  flexions  and  modi- 
fications retain  the  specific  meaning  of  the  root."  This 
law  he  then  applied  to  the  word  ^razzw  (bapto)^  show- 
ing that  its  two  thousand  flexions  and  modifications  in 
retaining  the  radical  syllable  ba-p  retained  also  the  radi- 
cal idea  dip  connected  with  it. 

'*  The  same,"  said  he,  "  holds  good  of  its  distant  neighbor 
paivto  {raino^^  I  sprinkle.  It  has  as  many  flexions  and  nearly 
as  many  derivatives  as  bapto."  ..."  These  all  exhibit  the 
radical  syllable  rain  or  ran^  and  with  it  the  radical  meaning 
sprinkle.  Now,  as  it  is  philologically  impossible  to  find  bap 
in  rain  or  rain  in  bap^  so  impossible  is  it  to  find  dip  in 
sprinkle  or  sprinkle  in  dip.  Hence  the  utter  impossibility 
of  either  of  these  words  representing  both  actions.  It  is  dif- 
ficult to  conceive  how  any  man  of  letters  and  proper  reflection 
can,  for  a  moment,  suppose  that  bapto  can  ever  mean  *  sprinkle 
or  raino  '  dip,^  " 

Nor  was  his  ready  perception  of  the  resemblance  of 
relations  less  marked  in  the  illustration  he  used  in  order 
to  render  the  point  evident  to  the  apprehension  of  his 
hearers.  Referring  to  the  custom  of  the  ancient  gram- 
marians to  represent  verbs  and  their  derivatives  by  a 
tree  with  its  root,  stem  and  branches,  he  said, 

« 

"Agriculturists,  horticulturists,  botanists  will  fully  com- 
prehend me  when  I  say  that  in  all  the  dominions  of  vegetable 
nature,  untouched  by  human  art,  as  the  root  so  is  the  stem, 
and  so  are  all  the  branches.  If  the  root  be  oak,  the  stem  can- 
no!  be  ash  nor  the  branches  cedar.  What  would  you  think, 
Mr.  President,  of  the  sanity  or  veracity  of  a  backwoodsman 
who  would  aflirm  that  he  found  in  the  state  of  nature  a  tree 
whose  root  was  oak,  whose  stem  was  cherry,  whose  boughs 


SIGNIFICATION  OF   WORDS.  $0$ 

were  pear  and  whose  leaves  were  chestnut?  If  these  gram- 
marians and  philologists  have  been  happy  in  their  analogies 
drawn  from  the  root  and  branches  of  trees  to  illustrate  the 
derivation  ^f  words,  how  singularly  fantastic  the  genius  that 
creates  a  philological  tree  whose  root  is  bapto^  whose  stem 
is  cheo^  whose  branches  are  rantizo  and  whose  fruit  is  kath" 
arizo  I — or,  if  not  too  ludicrous  and  preposterous  for  English 
ears,  whose  root  is  dip^  whose  trunk  is  pour^  whose  branches 
are  sprinkle  and  whose  fruit  is  purification  F* 

Mr.  Campbell's  opponent,  on  the  other  hand,  mani- 
fested throughout  that  he  moved  in  a  very  different 
sphere  of  thought,  and  was  disposed  to  look  at  subjects 
in  their  details,  rather  than  in  their  general  features. 
Hence,  while  Mr.  Campbell  dealt  in  comprehensive 
rules,  Mr.  Rice  occupied  himself  with  exceptions. 
While  the  former  sought  to  establish  principles,  the 
latter  tried  to  overthrow  them  by  burrowing  beneath  the 
basis  on  which  they  were  erected.  While  the  one  en- 
larged the  comprehension  of  his  hearers  and  illumi- 
nated every  subject  that  he  touched,  the  efforts  of  the 
other  served  only  to  contract  their  understandings  and 
to  involve  the  subject  in  darkness  and  confusion.  Thus 
his  reply  to  the  above  argument  of  Mr.  Campbell  was  to 
deny  the  general  rule  asserted,  and  to  adduce  the  words 
**  frevenV^  and  **  conversation^  as  having  changed  their 
original  meaning  while  retaining  the  radical  syllables. 
Mr.  Campbell  stated,  however,  that  these  were  words 
of  generic  and  not  of  specific  import,  and  therefore  not 
legitimately  within  the  rule,  though  even  in  these  the 
radical  syllable  still  retained  its  specific  meaning.  Mr. 
Rice  affected  also  to  rely  greatly  upon  the  fact  that 
^anrto  {bafto)  and  fioTrre^a)  (baptidzo)  were  sometimes 
translated  wash^  and  labored  to  make  it  appear  that  this 
was  ihtiv primary  meaning.    But  Mr.  Campbell  showed 

18 


5o6        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

them  to  be  so  used  by  a  metonymy  of  the  effect  for  the 
cause,  according  to  the  well-known  general  principles 
applying  to  all  words.  Mr.  Rice  afSrming  that  the 
most  reliable  New  Testament  lexicons  gave  wash  as 
the  primary  meaning,  this  Mr.  Campbell  refuted, 
but  upon  its  being  again  and  again  reiterated,  brought 
forward  the  celebrated  New  Testament  lexicon  of 
Stokius,  who  says  of  the  word:  "  i.  Generally  it  ob- 
tains the  sense  of  dipping  or  immersing,  without  respect 
to  water  or  any  liquid  whatever.  2.  Specially,  and  in 
its  proper  signification,  it  signifies  to  dip  or  immerse  in 
water.  This  is  the  New  Testament  sense.  3.  Tropi- 
cally, and  by  a  metalepsis^  it  means  to  wash,  to  cleanse, 
because  a  thing  is  usually  dipped  or  immersed  that  it 
may  be  washed,  that  it  may  be  cleansed.  Its  general 
sense  is  to  dip.  Its  proper  sense,  to  dip  in  water.  Its 
figurative  sense,  to  wash,  to  cleanse."  Mr.  Rice's  con- 
fusion was  such  upon  this  exposure  that  he  was  quite 
unable  to  conceal  it  from  the  audience,  and  he  in  vain 
endeavored  to  escape  from  the  dilemma  by  some  evasive 
assertions  in  regard  to  tropes. 

He  also  endeavored  to  place  Mr.  Campbell  in  a 
similar  dilemma  in  reference  to  an  assertion  he  had 
made  that  no  translator,  ancient  or  modem,  ever  ren- 
dered jioKTio  (bapio)y  or  any  of  that  family  of  words, 
to  sprinkle,  Mr.  Rice,  in  reply,  brought  up  a  passage 
(Rev.  xix.  13)  which  reads,  in  the  common  version, 
*'  He  was  clothed  with  a  vesture  dipped  in  blood,"  the 
Greek  word  for '*  dipped"  in  every  early  manuscript 
known  being  in  this  place  GeSafi/iei^op  (Jbebammenon). 
Mr.  Rice  showed  that  in  the  ancient  Syriac  version  the 
passage  was  rendered  so  as  to  read  in  English,  *'  He 
was  clothed  with  a  vesture  sprinkled  with  blood."  He 
adduced  also  the  \  ulgate,  which  rendered  the  passage 


TRUTHFUL  INDUCTION.  507 

in  the  same  manner.  In  addition  he  adduced  Origen, 
who,  in  quoting  the  passage  almost  verbatim,  used 
f^avTt^o)  (raniizo)  instead  of  fiajiTo)  {bafto).  He  further 
confirmed  the  correctness  of  the  rendering  sprinkle  by 
referring  to  the  sixty-third  chapter  of  Isaiah,  to  which 
the  passage  in  question  evidently  has  relation,  and  where 
the  conqueror  says,  **  Their  blood  shall  be  sprinkled 
upon  my  garments."  This,  it  must  be  confessed,  seemed 
quite  a  strong  case,  but  so  firmly  was  Mr.  Campbell 
persuaded  that  neither  ba-pto  nor  its  derivatives  could 
justly,  in  any  case,  be  rendered  sprinkle,  that  he  ven- 
tured to  assert,  what  indeed  had  been  formerly  con- 
jectured by  Dr.  Gale  that,  in  this  place,  there  must 
have  been  in  the  manuscript  from  which  Origen  quoted, 
and  from  which  the  Syriac  version  was  made,  a  differ- 
ent reading  {errantismenon^  instead  of  bebammenon) , 
which  Jerome,  the  author  of  the  Vulgate,  had  adopted. 
Although  no  manuscript  then  known  gave  this  reading, 
Mr,  Campbell  inferred  that  there  must  have  been  such 
a  reading  from  the  fact  that,  in  all  the  three  translations 
adduced,  it  occurred  in  the  same  passage,  the  last  oc- 
currence of  the  word  in  the  book.  The  corresponding 
passage  in  Isaiah  also  confirmed  him  in  the  opinion 
that  the  idea  of  sprinkling  had  been  derived  from  the 
language  of  the  prophet  by  Origen  and  the  version 
from  which  he  quoted.  He  insisted,  therefore,  that, 
with  so  much  probability  of  a  different  reading,  Mr. 
Rice  was  logically  bound  to  show  that  the  word  bebam- 
menon  was  actually  in  the  manuscript  quoted  by  Origen, 
as  well  as  in  the  one  from  which  the  Syriac  version  was 
made.  This  being  impossible,  Mr.  Rice's  argument 
was  shown  to  be  logically  inconclusive. 

It  was  not,  however,  merely  to  rebut  his  opponent's 
reasoning  that  Mr.  Campbell  took  this  ground.     In  all 


5o8         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL, 

his  writings  and  discussions  he  failed  not  to  manifest 
that  spirit  of  truthful  investigation  which  had  guided 
him  from  the  beginning.  Mr.  Rice,  seemingly  in- 
capable of  appreciating  either  Mr.  Campbell's  position 
on  the  disputed  passage,  or  of  imitating  the  truth-loving 
spirit  of  investigation  which  it  implied,  continued  for 
some  time  to  make  the  most  of  his  supposed  discovery 
of  an  exception  to  Mr.  Campbell's  universal  rule,  and 
to  bring  up  the  matter  again  and  again. 

^'Although  Mr.  Campbell  has  said  and  published,"  said  he, 
**  that  no  translator,  ancient  or  modern,  ever  rendered  any 
of  this  family  of  words  to  sprinkle,^  I  have  proved  that  the 
translators  of  the  venerable  Syriac,  the  old  Ethiopic  and  the 
Vulgate  (all  of  whom,  according  to  him,  were  immersionists) 
did  so  translate  hapto.  But  he  says,  ^  There  must  have  been 
a  different  reading.*  Where  is  the  evidence?  Is  there  any 
one  copy  of  the  New  Testament  found  in  all  the  searching  for 
old  manuscripts  which  presents  a  different  reading?  There 
is  not  one  I  Why,  then,  contend  for  a  different  reading? 
Simply  because  the  claims  of  immersion  demand  it." 

Such  was  Mr.  Rice's  charitable  estimate  of  his  oi>- 
ponent's  integrity  that  he  supposed  him  capable  of 
contending  for  a  different  reading  not  in  the  interest  of 
truth,  but  merely  ''because  the  claims  of  immersion 
demanded  it."  Providence,  however,  has  already  sin- 
gularly verified  the  postulate  assumed  by  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, and  exposed  the  fallacy  through  which  "sprinkle** 
was  sought  to  be  interpolated  as  a  proper  or  possible 
rendering  of  bapto.  On  the  4th  day  of  February,  1859, 
the  learned  Tischendorf,  who  was  engaged  in  Oriental 
researches,  happened  to  be  sojourning  at  the  monastery 
of  St.  Catherine  at  Mount  Sinai.  Returning  from  a 
walk  in  company  with  the  steward,  the  latter,  upon 
reaching  his  chamber,  placed  before  the  traveler,  for 


CONFIRMATION  OF  TRUTH,  509 

his  examination,  a  basket  of  ancient  manuscripts. 
Among  these,  to  his  surprise  and  delight,  he  found  a 
complete  copy  of  the  New  Testament  on  vellum,  which 
proved  to  be  one  of  the  very  oldest  and  most  authentic 
manuscripts  in  the  world,  rivaling  even  the  famous 
Codex  Vaticanus.  This  precious  apograph,  published 
in  1865  by  Tischendorf,  gives  in  Rev.  xix.  13,  Tztpt^e^XTj- 
/iivoc  Ifidzco}^  nepepepafifxspov  dc/jLuu,  clothed  with  a  ves- 
ture  s;prtnkled  over  with  blood — perirerammenon 
being  here  used  instead  of  bebammenony  the  word 
found  in  other  MSS.  Thus,  Mr.  Campbell's  position 
that  there  was  a  different  reading  was  shown  to  be 
entirely  correct,  the  word  j>erirerammenony  from  rainoy 
to  sprinkle,  and  ^cri^  over,  signifying  '*  sprinkled  over," 
being  employed,  thus  proving  the  accuracy  of  the 
Syriac  version,  and  rescuing  bebammenon  from  the 
hands  of  those  who  sought  to  impose  upon  it  a  false 
rendering  to  suit  their  purposes.* 

*  This  interesting  fisurt  serves  to  show  how  consistent  truth  is  ever  with 
itself^  and  it  illustrates  also  the  principle  so  often  acted  on  in  scientific  and 
legal  investigations,  that  by  means  of  known  facts  unknown  facts  may  be  dis- 
covered.  From  the  fiict  that  various  readings  of  Scripture  existed,  that  the 
word  "  sprinkled"  was  used  in  the  related  passage  of  Isaiah,  and  especially 
because  it  would  have  been  a  singular  anomaly  if  bapto  could  in  any  case  be 
rendered  sprinkle^  it  was  truly  inferred  that  in  the  original  manuscript  the 
word  used,  Rev.  xix.  13,  was  not  bebammenon,  but  one  that  really  signified  to 
sprinkle.  In  like  manner,  Leverrier,  from  certain  disturbances  in  the  move- 
ments of  the  planets,  conjectured  that  there  must  exist,  at  a  certain  distance 
beyond  the  most  distant  planet  known,  another  heavenly  body  of  a  certain 
magnitude,  whose  attractions  could  alone  explain  these  perturbations;  and 
this  conclusion  was  no  sooner  reached  than  a  German  astronomer,  directing 
his  telescope  to  the  quarter  of  the  heavens  indicated,  found  there  the  planet 
Neptune,  previously  unknown,  but  precisely  answering  all  the  conditions  of 
the  problem.  It  should  be  remarked  also  that,  in  all  such  cases,  while  the 
verification  of  the  conjecture  adds  to  the  sum  of  human  knowledge,  it  pos- 
sesses also  the  reflex  ]>ower  of  imparting  an  absolute  confirmation  to  the  data 
from  which  the  bxX  had  previously  been  deduced.  Hence,  while  the  result, 
in  the  case  of  Rev.  xix.  13,  exposes  the  falsity  of  the  assumption  upon  which 

43* 


n 


510        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

Il  cannot  be  justly  denied  that  throughout  the  dis- 
cussion Mr.  Rice  manifested  acuteness  and  ingenuity 
in  bringing  forward  whatever  could  yield  the  slightest 
support  to  his  cause,  or  that  his  efforts  produced  occa- 
sionally a  marked  impression  on  the  audience.  Hav- 
ing a  musical  voice  and  a  pleasant  countenance,  with 
brilliant  black  eyes  and  hair,  a  confident  and  positive 
manner  and  an  agonistic  style  of  gesticulation,  he  was 
well  fitted  to  command  attention.  Having  also  a  large 
portion  of  the  audience  in  favor  of  his  propositions,  he 
received  from  them  numerous  manifestations  of  sympa- 
thy and  approval,  which  were  supposed  by  many  to 
have  been  even  preconcerted  for  the  purpose  of  manu- 
facturing public  opinion.  If  such  were  the  purpose  of 
the  actors  in  the  case,  there  is  not  the  slightest  evidence 
that  Mr.  Rice  instigated  such  proceedings,  though  his 
manner  and  language  during  the  discussion  were  plainly 
calculated  to  encourage  manifestations  of  applause  and 
merriment,  which  it  was  his  duty  to  repress  as  especially 
unbecoming  in  the  discussion  of  serious  subjects.  His 
remarkable  fluency  of  speech,  superior  talent  for  man- 
aging minute  details,  his  consummate  art  in  presenting 
false  issues  and  evading  the  true  ones,  gave  him  great 
influence  over  the  minds  of  those  unskilled  in  the  de- 
tection of  fallacious  reasoning.  He  seldom  indeed  ap- 
peared to  rise  to  the  dignity  of  the  subject,  and  both 
his  afguments  and  his  expressions  were  often  of  an  ad 
ca-ptandum  character.  The  characteristic  and  worst 
features  of  his  speeches  were,  however,  the  personal 
bearing   and   the  hostile  spirit  which  he  imparted   to 

them.     He  had  gathered  upon  his  table  many  volumes 

» 

Mr.  Rice  insisted  that  sprinkle  was  one  of  the  meanings  of  bapto^  it  also  de- 
monstrates the  truth  of  the  premises  from  which  Mr.  Campbell  argued,  show* 
ing  that  in  no  case  can  bapto  or  any  of  its  derivatives  be  so  rendered. 


DISPUTANTS  CONTRASTED.  51 1 

of  Mr.  Campbell's  works,  and  seemed  to  take  an  es- 
pecial pleasure  in  quoting  and  referring  to  his  writings, 
so  as  to  make  him  appear  inconsistent  or  place  him  in 
an  unfavorable  light  before  the  audience,  rather  than 
in  discussing  the  propositions  upon  their  own  merits. 
This  course  gave  to  the  entire  discussion  a  certain 
degree  of  asperity  and  acrimony,  and  fostered  on  the 
part  of  the  audience  those  personal  and  denominational 
feeling-s  and  prejudices  which  should  rather  have  been 
allayed. 

These  feelings  indeed  ran  very  high  at  times,  and 
gave  rise  to  amusing  incidents.  Two  ladies  in  the 
gallery  were  earnestly  engaged  in  maintaining  the 
merits  of  their  respective  disputants.  *' Ah,"  said  one 
of  them  to  the  other  as  a  closing  and  convincing  argu- 
ment, "  you  can  easily  see  that  .Mr.  Rice  is  by  far  the 
most  learned  man.  Just  see  how  many  books  he  has 
upon  his  table,  while  Mr.  Campbell  has  hardly  any." 
"But  you  don't  appear  to  know,"  retorted  the  other, 
"that  the  books  on  Mr.  Rice's  table  were  written  by 
Mr.  Campbell."  On  another  occasion,  after  dismission, 
a  Mr.  Irwin  of  Madison  county,  a  warm  friend  of  Mr. 
Campbell,  was  complaining  of  poor  health,  and  re- 
marked that  he  had  not  eaten  anything  for  a  number 
of  days.  "  Ah,"  said  Colonel  Speed  Smith,  jocularly, 
"  you  have  been  feeding  on  camel"  (Campbell).  "  Not 
so,"  said  the  Presbyterian  preacher,  Mr.  Brown,  who 
was  also  from  Madison,  "I  believe, he  has  been  living 
on  rice  (Rice)  during  these  days."  **  If  so,"  rejoined 
Colonel  Smith,  "he  has  been  living  on  extremely 
light  dietr 

The  disputants  indeed,  throughout,  presented  quite  a 
contrast  as  to  their  weight  of  metal  and  modes  of 
warfare.     The  one  was  like  the  light-armed  Saracen 


n 


512        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

circling  round  and  round  his  opponent  upon  his  fleet 
courser,  and  stealthily  endeavoring  to  wound  him  with 
his  arrows.  The  other  was  the  mailed  Crusader  upon 
his  powerful  charger,  calmly  receiving  the  missiles  upon 
his  shield  or  seeking  to  prostrate  his  enemy  with  a 
blow  of  his  battle-axe.  Or,  as  was  pictured  at  the  time 
in  an  Episcopal  paper,  the  '*  Protestant  Churchman," 
'*  Mr.  Campbell  was  like  a  heavy  Dutch-built  man- 
of-war,  carrying  many  guns  of  very  large  calibre ; 
whilst  Mr.  Rice  resembled  a  daring  and  active  Yankee 
privateer,  who  contrived,  by  the  liveliness  of  his  move- 
ments and  the  ease  with  with  which  he  could  take  up 
his  position  for  a  raking  fire,  to  leave  his  more  cumbrous 
adversary  in  a  very  crippled  condition  at  the  close  of 
the  fight."  This  **  crippled  condition,"  however,  was 
merely  a  slight  damage  in  the  sails  and  rigging,  if  we 
may  continue  a  figure  which  most  incorrectly  represents 
Mr.  Campbell  as  deficient  in  alertness  or  mobility  of 
mind,  a  quality  in  which  he  excelled.  Mr.  Rice,  who 
had  rummaged  Mr.  Campbell's  writings,  in  order  to 
cull  from  thence  whatever  could  serve  his  purpose,  did 
not  fail  to  make  good  use  of  those  philosophical  distinc- 
tions and  disquisitions  in  relation  to  <' moral,  spiritual 
and  physical  power,"  etc.,  which  Mr.  Campbell  had 
employed  in  some  of  his  discussions,  and  which  had 
opened  a  door  to  speculation  and  misrepresentation  in 
the  discussion  of  the  proposition  relating  to  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Mr.  Rice  therefore  adduced 
these  expressions  and  reasonings  for  the  purpose  of 
involving  Mr.  Campbell  in  inconsistency  and  proving 
his  doctrine  to  be  erroneous.  His  eflTort,  however,  only 
caused  Mr.  Campbell  to  appear  to  greater  advantage, 
since  it  elicited  from  him  the  following  noble  acknow- 
ledgment : 


HENRY  CLAT  CAPTIVATED,  513 

"  I  do  not  shrink  from  the  discussion  of  anything  I  have 
ever  written  on  this  subject.  Yet  it  would  be  more  than 
human,  more  than  mortal  man  has  yet  achieved,  if  in  twenty 
years'  writing,  and  in  issuing  one  magazine  of  forty-eight 
octavo  pages  every  month,  written  both  at  home  and  abroad, 
in  steamboats,  hotels  and  in  the  houses  of  my  private  friends 
and  brethren,  I  should  have  so  carefully,  definitely  and  con- 
gruously expressed  myself  on  every  occasion  on  these  much 
controverted  subjects  as  to  furnish  no  occasion  to  our  adver- 
saries to  extract  a  sentence  or  a  passage  which,  when  put  into 
their  crucible  and  mixed  with  other  ingredients,  might  not  be 
made  to  appear  somewhat  different  from  itself  and  myself 
and  ray  other  writings.  To  seal  the  lips  of  caviling  sec- 
tarians and  captious  priests  is  a  natural  impossibility.  The 
Great  Teacher  himself  could  not,  at  least  he  did  not,  do  it."* 

Mr.  Campbell's  opening  address  of  an  hour  in  the 
debate  on  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  has  been 
greatly  and  deservedly  admired  for  its  beauty  of  diction, 
its  clearness  of  statement  and  its  power  of  argument. 
It  was  remarked  that  Henry  Clay,  who  had  been  very 
careful  to  avoid,  previously,  the  slightest  appearance  of 
favoring  either  disputant,  was  so  captivated  by  it  as,  for 
a  time,  to  forget  himself.  A  gentleman  well  acquainted 
with  him  noticed  that,  soon  after  Mr.  Campbell  began, 

*  Somewhat  similar  was  the  language  of  Luther  when,  before  the  emperor 
and  princes,  he  was  called  upon  to  say  whether  he  would  recant  or  defend 
the  doctrine  he  had  taught  After  refusing  to  retract  anything  he  had  written 
on  faith  and  good  works  and  against  popery,  he  added :  "  In  the  third  and  last 
place,  I  have  written  some  books  against  private  individuals  who  have  under- 
taken to  defend  the  tyranny  of  Rome  by  destroying  the  faith.  I  freely  confess 
I  may  have  attacked  such  persons  with  more  violence  than  was  consistent 
with  my  profession  as  an  ecclesiastic  I  do  not  think  of  myself  as  a  saint, 
but  neither  can  I  retract  those  books,  because  I  should  by  so  doing  sanction 
the  impieties  of  my  opponents.  ...  As  I  am  a  mere  man  and  not  God,  I  will 
defend  myself  after  the  manner  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  said,  *  If  I  have  spoken 
evil,  bear  witness  against  me.'  John  xviii.  23.  How  much  more  should  I, 
who  am  but  dust  and  ashes  and  so  prone  to  error,  desire  that  every  one 
should  bring  forward  what  he  can  against  my  doctrine  I" 
VOL,  II. — 2  H 


SH        MEMOIRS    OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

he  became  unusually  attentive,  and  that,  as  the  subject 
became  unfolded  and  successive  arguments  were  pre- 
sented, he  leaned  forward  and  began  to  bow  assent, 
waving  his  hand  at  the  same  time  in  that  graceful,  ap- 
proving manner  peculiar  to  him.  While  the  gentleman 
was  observing  this  with  some  surprise,  as  he  had  never 
before,  -except  upon  one  occasion,  found  Mr.  Clay  to  be 
so  carried  away  by  a  public  speaker,  the  latter,  suddenly 
recollecting  himself,  drew  himself  back  and  looked 
around  to  see  if  any  one  had  noticed  him  thus  off  his 
guard.  The  address,  as  it  appears  in  the  printed  debate, 
affords  abundant  evidence  of  its  power.  A  high  dig- 
nitary in  the  Episcopal  Church,  writing  soon  after  in 
the  *•  Protestant  Churchman,"  thus  spoke  of  it  and  of 
the  disputants : 

"With  the  exception  of  a  few  unguarded  expressions,  and 
that  he  affirms  a  universal  where  only  a  general  can  be 
proved,  Mr.  CampbeH's  affirmative  argument  on  the  point 
that  ^  the  Holy  Spirit  in  conversion  and  sanctification  operates 
only  through  the  Word '  is  one  of  the  most  splendid  specimens 
of  eloquent  reasoning  I  ever  remember  to  have  read.  So, 
also,  apply  to  over-expanded  creeds — the  Westminster  Con- 
fession, for  instance — what  he  recklessly  charges  upon  all 
creeds,  and  more  thrilling  or  magnificent  declamation  can 
hardly  anywhere  be  found  than  that  interwoven  in  the  closing 
debate."  After  referring  to  other  specimens  of  Mr.  Camp- 
beH's lofty  and  powerful  argumentation,  he  adds,  "  Mr.  Rice 
is  wholly  incapable  of  this  sort  of  thing.  His  imagination  is 
as  barren  as  the  surface  of  granite." 

In  the  affirmative  of  the  proposition  that  **  the  infant 
of  believing  parents  is  a  scriptural  subject  for  baptism," 
Mr.  Rice  assumed  the  usual  position  of  the  identity  of 
the  Jewish  and  Christian  institutions  or  churches,  and, 
forbearing  to  insist  upon  the  argument  that  baptism 
came  in  room  of  circumcision,  dwelt  upon  the  com- 


FALSE  IMPRESSIONS,  $^5 

mission  to  the  apostles  as  requiring  them  to  disciple  the 
nations  by  teaching  and  baptizing,  asserting  that  teach- 
ing did  not  necessarily  precede  baptism,  and  that  the 
commission  was  fulfilled  if  children  were  baptized  first 
and  taught  afterward  !  With  all  his  arts  of  sophistry, 
however,  he  could  not  succeed  in  making  even  a 
plausible  defence  of  a  proposition  which,  as  Mr.  Camp- 
bell showed,  had  not  a  particle  of  scriptural  evidence  to 
sustain  it.  Nor  was  he  at  all  more  successful  in  the  at- 
tempt to  prove  the  fourth  proposition,  that  *' baptism  is 
to  be  administered  only  by  a  bishop  or  ordained  pres- 
byter," for  which,  indeed,  he  did  not  pretend  to  produce 
a  single  scriptural  authority.  It  was  in  the  discussion 
of  the  last  proposition  in  reference  to  **  human  creeds 
as  bonds  of  union  and  communion "  that  he  labored 
with  the  greatest  assiduity,  and,  it  must  be  admitted, 
with  the  greatest  temporary  eflfect.  Ingeniously  availing 
himself  of  the  cases  in  which  considerable  difference 
of  sentiment  had  been  tolerated  amongst  the  Reformers, 
and  of  Mr.  Campbell's  candor  in  acknowledging  occa- 
sionally in  his  writings  the  existing  deficiencies  amongst 
his  brethren,  he  managed,  by  exaggerating  these  and 
by  means  of  incorrect  statements,  imaginary  cases  and 
feigned  issues,  to  create,  for  a  time,  the  impression  upon 
some  even  who  had  been  opposed  to  creeds  that  they 
were  by  no  means  so  injurious  or  unnecessary  as  had 
been  supposed.*   In  his  attempt  to  excite  religious  fears 


*  Mr.  Rice  descanted  largely  upon  the  case  of  Dr.  Thomas  as  an  evidence 
of  the  looseness  of  belief  among  the  disciples,  and  of  the  necessity  for  a  creed 
in  order  to  the  detection  of  errorists,  although  the  repudiation  of  Dr.  Thomas 
and  his  speculations  by  the  Reformers  was  in  reality  a  clear  proof  of  the 
sufficiency  of  the  Scriptures  for  "  reproof"  and  for  "  correction,"  as  well  as 
for  "  instruction"  in  "  righteousness."  He  magnified  also  certain  differences 
in  opinion  between  Mr.  Raines  and  Dr.  Fishback  with  regard  to  the  degrees 
of  human  depravity.     He  seemed  particularly  desirous,  however,  of  attaching 


5l6        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

and  prejudices  upon  this  subject  he  was  greatl)'  aided 
by  the  circumstance  that  Mr.  Campbell's  view  of  the 
true  grounds  of  Christian  union  was  so  far  in  advance 
of  the  age  as  not  to  be  yet  really  and  fully  understood 
by  the  community  in  general.  In  repelling,  therefore, 
the  false  imputations  and  consequences  upon  which  Mr. 

the  stigma  of  Unitarianism  to  B.  W.  Stone  and  those  with  him  who  had 
engaged  in  the  reformatory  movement. 

B.  W.  Stone,  now  neai  the  close  of  his  life,  having  been  infotmed  by  A. 
Kendrick  that  Mr.  Rice  had  publicly  charged  him  with  being  a  **  Unitarian 
who  made  the  Saviour  a  mere  man — a  created  lieing,"  and  who  "openly  de- 
nied the  divinity  of  Christ,"  answered  Mr.  Kendrick  as  follows  in  reference 
to  the  matter:  "Now  I  reply  for  the  last  time  (so  I  now  think)  that  at  no 
time  in  my  long  life  did  I  ever  believe  these  doctrines ;  I  never  taught  them 
either  publicly  or  privately,  from  the  pulpit  or  the  press.  I  am  bold  to  say 
no  man  ever  heard  them  from  me,  or  read  them  in  any  of  the  essays  I  have 
written  and  published  on  the  doctrine  of  Christ.  ...  It  is  well  known  tu 
all  that  know  me  that  I  differed  from  the  Presbyterians  on  the  speculations 
in  their  Confession  of  Faith  on  the  Trinity  when  I  was  a  Presbyterian.  Yet 
was  I  unanimously  ordained  by  the  Presbytery  and  held  in  communion  by 
them.     I  was  never  charged  with  these  things  until  I  withdrew  from  them.^^ 

After  recapitulating  briefly  his  belief  in  the  distinction  between  the 
Father  and  the  Son  in  the  words  in  which  the  Scripture  reveals  it,  he  goes 
on  as  follows :  "  Just  before  he  ascended,  the  Son  prayed  to  the  Father  to 
glorify  him  with  himself  with  the  glory  he  had  with  him  before  the  world 
was.  This  with  many  other  texts  proves  that  the  Son,  or  Logos,  existed  in 
glory  with  the  Father  before  the  world  was — before  all  created  things  in  the 
universe  ;  without  him  was  not  one  thing  made  that  is  made. 

"  This  glorious  being  is  the  Son  of  God,  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God, 
and  therefore  divine  :  the  children  of  men  are  human,  because  begotten  and 
born  of  human  parents ;  so  is  the  Son  of  God  divine,  because  begotten  of  the 
divine  Father.  ...  I  believe  the  Father  sent  the  Son  to  be  the  Saviour  of 
the  world,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him  might  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life.  I  believe  that  all  power  and  authority  in  heaven  and  earth  are 
given  unto  him,  and  that  he  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come  to 
God  by  him  ;  that  in  him  are  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge  ;  that 
it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him  should  all  fullness  dwell — the  fullness  of  the 
Godhead,  the  fullness  of  the  Spirit,  the  fullness  of  grace  and  salvation.  When 
we  see  him  we  see  the  Father — his  image,  his  character,  his  glory  and  per- 
fection. Let  me  lose  life  before  I  would  detract  from  my  Lord  one  ray  of  his 
glory.  To  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne  and  to  the  Lamb  be  everlasting 
praise  .'    Amen  !  B.  W.  Stone." 


OBJECTION  TO   CREEDS,  517 

Rice  was  pleased  to  descant,  Mr.  Campbell  took  occa- 
sion to  state  again,  in  various  forms,  the  real  principles 
of  the  Reformation  and  to.  maintain  their  correctness 
and  their  necessity  for  Christian  union. 

*'  We  all  see,"  said  he,  "  that  Christendom  is  at  present  in 
an  agitated,  dislocated  condition — cut  up  or  frittered  down  into 
sects  and  parties  innumerable,  wholly  unwarranted  by  right 
reason,  pure  religion,  the  Bible,  the  God  of  the  Bible.  Be- 
fore the  high  and  holy  and  puissant  intelligences  of  the  earth 
and  heaven  this  state  of  things  is  most  intolerable.  I  have 
for  some  five-and-twenty  years  regarded  creeds  as  both  the 
cause  and  effect  of  party  ism  and  the  main  perpetuating  cause 
of  schism,  and  have  remonstrated  and  inveighed  against  them. 
Not  like  many  who  oppose  creeds  because  they  first  opp5se 
their  peculiar  tenets,  we  opposed  them  on  their  own  demerits, 
and  not  because  they  opposed  us.  In  this  particular  at 
least,  if  on  no  other  account,  we  differ  from  the  great  majority 
of  those  who  oppose  them  :  because  old  parties  were  sustained 
by  them,  because  they  made  new  parties,  and  because  they 
were  roots  of  bitterness  and  apples  of  discord,  we  opposed 
them. 

"  In  lieu  of  them  all  we  tendered  the  book  that  God  gave 
us.  We  regard  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  King,  Lord,  Law- 
giver and  Prophet  of  the  Church,  and  well  qualified  by  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  give  us  all  a  perfect  voliyne — one 
in  substance  and  form  exactly  adapted  as  he  would  have  it 
for  just  such  a  family  as  the  great  family  of  man,  if  we  be- 
lieve the  Lord  Jesus  was  wiser  and  more  benevolent  than  all 
his  followers  in  their  united  wisdom  and  benevolence,  and 
that  he  could  and  would  give  them  such  a  book  as  they 
needed.  It  is  both  the  light  of  salvation  and  the  bond  of 
union  amongst  the  saved.  We  abjure  creeds  simply  as  sub- 
stitutes— directly  or  indirectly  substitutes — for  the  book  of  in- 
spiration. In  other  respects  we  have  no  objection  whatever 
to  any  people  publishing  their  tenets  or  views  or  practices  to 
the  world.     I  have  no  more  objection  to  writing  my  opinions 

44 


5l8         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

than  to  speaking  them.  But,  mark  it  well,  it  is  the  making 
of  such  compends  of  views,  in  the  ecclesiastic  sense,  creeds 
(that  is,  terms  of  communion  or  bonds  of  union') — I  say 
again,  as  ecclesiastic  documents,  as  terms  of  exclusion  and 
reception  of  members,  we  abjure  them.  .  .  .  Our  sin,  in  the 
eyes  of  all  devoted  to  them,  is,  that  we  substitute  for  them 
the  new  covenant  as  our  church  covenant,  and  the  apostolic 
writings  as  our  Christian  creeds  believing  all  things  in  the 
law  and  in  the  prophets. 

*'  We  preach  in  the  words  of  that  book  the  gospel  as  pro- 
mulgated by  the  apostles  in  Jerusalem.  We  use  in  all  im- 
portant matters  the  exact  words  of  inspiration.  We  command 
all  men  to  believe,  repent  and  bring  forth  fruits  worthy  of 
reformation.  We  enjoin  the  same  good  works  commanded 
by # the  Lord  and  by  his  apostles.  We  receive  men  of  all 
denominations  under  heaven,  of  all  sects  and  parties,  who 
will  make  the  good  confession  on  which  Jesus  Christ  builded 
his  Church.  We  propound  that  confession  of  the  faith  in  the 
identical  words  of  inspiration,  so  that  they  who  avow  it  ex- 
press a  divine  faith  and  build  upon  a  consecrated  foundation — 
a  well-tried  corner-stone.  On  a  sincere  confession  of  this 
faith  we  immerse  all  persons,  and  then  present  them  with 
God's  own  book  as  their  book  of  faith,  piety  and  morality. 
This  is  our  most  obnoxious  offence  against  the  partyism  of 
this  age. 

"  On  this  ground  many  of  us  have  stood  for  many  years. 
We  have  fully  tested  this  principle.  Men,  formerly  of  all 
persuasions  and  of  all  denominations  and  prejudices,  have 
been  baptized  on  this  good  confession  and  have  united  in  one 
community.  Amongst  them  are  found  those  who  have  been 
Romanists,  Episcopalians,  Presbyterians,  Methodists,  Bap- 
tists, Restorationists,  Quakers,  Arians,  Unitarians,  etc.,  etc. 
We  have  one  faith,  one  Lord,  one  baptism,  but  various  opin- 
ions. These,  when  left  to  vegetate  without  annoyance,  if 
erroneous,  wither  and  die.  We  find  much  philosophy  in  one 
of  Paul's  precepts,  somewhat  mistranslated  :  '  Receive  one  an- 
other without  regard  to  difference  of  opinion.'     We  indeed 


TRUE  BASIS  OF  UNION.  519 

receive  in  our  communion  persons  of  other  denominations 
who  will  take  upon  them  the  responsibility  of  their  partici- 
pating with  us.  We  do  indeed  in  our  affections  and  in  our 
practice  receive  all  Christians,  all  who  give  evidence  of  their 
faith  in  the  Messiah,  and  of  their  attachment  to  his  person, 
character  and  will." — Debate^  p.  783. 

Of  the  philosophy  of  this  basis  of  union  he  thus  remarks : 
"  We  long  since  learned  the  lesson  that  to  draw  a  well-defined 
boundary  between  faith  and  opinion,  and,  while  we  earnestly 
contend  for  the  faith,  to  allow  perfect  freedom  of  opinion  and 
of  the  expression  of  opinion,  is  the  true  philosophy  of  church 
union  and  the  sovereign  antidote  against  heresy.  Hence  in 
our  communion  at  this  moment  we  have  as  strong  Calvinists 
and  as  strong  Arminians  as  any,  I  presume,  in  this  house — 
certainly  many  that  have  been  such.  Yet  we  go  hand  in 
hand  in  one  faith,  one  hope,  and  in  all  Christian  union  and 
co-operation  in  the  great  cause  of  personal  sanctification  and 
human  redemption.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  see  such  persons 
holding  in  abeyance  their  former  opinions — conclusions  and 
opinions  the  results  of  an  early  education  and  the  effects  of 
youthful  associations — sacrificing  all  their  predilections  and 
partialities  for  the  sake  of  the  pure  and  holy  principles  of  a 
religion  that  was  fully  and  perfectly  taught  before  the  age  of 
Luther,  of  Calvin  or  of  any  of  the  Reformers  of  popery  or 
any  other  superstition,  living  or  dead.  They  see  not  those 
specks  while  Heaven's  bright  sun  of  righteousness  and  truth 
shines  into  their  souls  in  all  its  glorious  effulgence. 

^^  It  is  not  the  object  of  our  efibrts  to  make  men  think  alike 
on  a  thousand  themes.  Let  them  think  as  they  like  on  any 
matters  of  human  opinion  and  upon  ^  doctrines  of  religion,' 
provided  only  they  hold  the  Head  Christ  and  keep  his  com- 
mandments. I  have  learned  not  only  the  theory,  but  the  fact, 
that  if  you  wish  opinionism  to  cease  or  subside  you  must  not 
call  up  and  debate  everything  that  men  think  or  say.  You 
may  debate  anything  into  consequence,  or  you  may,  by  a  dig- 
nified silence,  waste  it  into  oblivion." — Debate^  p.  797. 

Mr.  Rice,  wholly  unable,  from  his  point  of  view,  to 


520        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

admit  such  results,  continued  to  comf^ain  of  the  latitudi- 
narianism  of  such  principles.     Mr.  Campbell  replied  : 

'^  The  gentleman  complains  that  our  foundation  is  too  broad, 
too  liberal.  It  is  indeed  broad,  liberal  and  strong.  If  it 
were  not  so,  it  would  not  be  a  Christian  foundation.  Chris- 
tianity is  a  liberal  institution.  It  was  conceived  in  view  of 
the  ruin  of  the  world.  God  looked  upon  not  the  thousand 
millions  of  one  age,  but  the  untold  millions  of  all  ages.  And 
he  looked  with  the  inconceivable  compassion  of  a  divine 
Father,  rich  in  mercy  and  plenteous  in  redemption.  He  laid 
help  for  us  on  the  shoulders  of  a  divine  Man,  ^  who  meted 
out  the  heavens  with  a  span,  comprehended  the  dust  of  the 
earth  in  a  measure,  and  weighed  the  mountains  in  scales  and 
the  hills  in  a  balance  ;'  the  great  Philanthropist  whose  wide 
charities  and  tender  compassions  embrace  all  ages,  all  races* 
all  generations  of  men.  He  knows  no  differences  of  castes, 
ranks,  dignities.  Before  him  kings  and  their  subjects,  the 
nobles  of  the  earth  and  their  slaves,  the  tyrants  and  their 
vassals,  lose  all  differences.  Their  circumstantial  grandeur 
and  their  circumstantial  meanness  are  as  nothing.  He  looks 
up)on  them  all  as  men — fallen,  ruined  men.  He  made  one 
splendid  sacrifice  for  all,  and  has  commanded  his  gospel  to  be 
preached  from  pole  to  pole  and  from  Jerusalem  to  the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth.  He  bids  all  nations,  languages  and 
tribes  of  men  a  hearty  welcome  to  the  rich  provisions  of  his 
bounteous  table,  made  large  enough  and  well  supplied  with 
the  richest  provisions  of  his  un wasting  fullness.  Surely,  then, 
that  ought  to  be  a  large  house  on  a  broad  foundation  that  has 
in  it  a  table  for  saved  men  from  every  nation  under  heaven. 

"  He  has  commanded  a  simple  story  to  be  told,  leveled  to 
the  apprehension  of  all.  It  is  expressed  in  plain,  clear  and 
forcible  terms.  The  great  cardinal  principles  upon  which  the 
kingdom  rests  are  made  intelligible  to  all,  and  every  one  who 
sincerely  believes  these  and  is  baptized  is,  without  any  other 
instrument,  creed,  covenant  or  bond,  entitled  to  the  rank  and 
immunities  of  the  city  of  God,  the  spiritual  Jerusalem,  the 
residence  of  the  great  King.    This  is  precisely  our  foundation. 


SIMPLICITY  OF  PRINCIPLES.  52 1 

Strong  or  weak,  bro^d  or  narrow,  it  is  commensurate  with  the 
Christian  charter.  It  embraces  all  that  believe  in  Jesus  as  the 
Christ  of  all  nations,  sects  and  parties,  and  makes  them  all 
one  in  Christ  Jesus." — Debate^  p.  808. 

Having  thus  shown  the  Bible  to  be  the  true  and  only 
guide  in  religion,"  and  vindicated  the  sufficiency  of  the 
simple  gospel  which  it  reveals  as  the  basis  of  Christian 
union  apart  from  all  mere  human  opinions,  he  subse- 
quently developed,  in  a  still  more  comprehensive  view, 
the  grand  fundamental  resting-point  of  the  entire 
structure : 

"  The  strength  of  the  whole  edifice  is  in  its  foundation,  and 
the  still  more  interior  secret  of  the  strength  of  our  system  is 
that  IT  IS  DIVINE.  It  is  the  foundation  which  God  has  laid 
in  Zion.  It  is  not  both  divine  and  human.  It  is  wholly 
divine.  Does  any  one  ask  me  what  it  is?  I  wish  I  had  a 
summer's  day  and  my  wonted  strength  to  develop  its  glorious 
features  to  your  view.  A  full  revelation  of  it  would  disarm 
our  opponents  and  take  from  them  more  than  half  their  argu- 
ments. I  tell  you,  my  Christian  friends,  the  Christian  faith  is 
quite.a  simple  but  most  comprehensive  and  potent  document. 
The  five  books  of  Moses,  together  with  the  prophets,  com- 
pose the  Jews'  religion.  The  Christian  believes  all  these  too, 
and  studies  them  well ;  but  Christianity  was  born  after  Christ. 
There  were  Jews  and  Gentiles  innumerable  before  Christ  was 
born.  But  we  speak  not  of  the  Jewish  nor  of  the  patriarchal 
ages.  The  Harbinger  has  done  his  work.  He  prepared  a 
people  for  the  Lord  and  introduced  the  sublime  and  glorious 
age  of  Messiah  the  Prince  ;  but  Christianity  is  more  than  John 
preached.  The  principles  of  Christianity,  like  the  grand  laws 
of  nature,  are  simple  and  few,  but  omnipotent  to  all  the  ends 
of  its  Author.  What  sublime  and  awful  wonders  are  revealed 
in  heaven  to  the  eye  of  the  philosopher  by  the  operations  of  the 
centrifugal  and  centripetal  forces  I  Silently  and  unobtrusively 
these  laws,  for  ages,  have  swayed  creation's  ample  bounds, 
kept  the   universe  to  its  place  and  guided  all  the   mighty 

44* 


522        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL, 

masses,  in  their  unmeasured  circuit  of  miles  unmeasured, 
through  all  the  fields  of  occupied  space.  That  regularity, 
harmony,  beauty  and  beneficence  spread  over  those  empyreal 
regions  where  the  march  of  revolving  worlds  overwhelms 
the  adoring  saint  and  fills  his  soul  with  admiration  of  the 
divine  Author  of  the  universe,  all  spring  from  and  are  the 
mysterious  result  of  a  happy  combination  of  these  two  stupen- 
dous principles. 

'*  So  is  it  in  our  most  holy  faith.  There  are  but  two  grand 
principles  in  Christianity — two  laws  revealed  and  develop>ed, 
whose  combination  produces  similar  harmony,  beauty  and 
loveliness  in  the  world  of  mind  as  in  the  world  of  matter. 
But,  leaving  the  development  of  these  for  the  present,  I  roust 
at  once  declare  the  simplicity  of  this  divine  constitution  of 
remedial  mercy.  It  has  but  three  grand  ideas  peculiar  to 
itself,  and  these  all  concern  the  King.  I  am  sorry  that  this 
sublime  and  mysterious  simplicity  does  not  appear  to  those 
who  set  about  making  constitutions  for  Christ's  kingdom* 
This  confession  of  omnipotent  moral  power,  because  the  off- 
spring of  infinite  wisdom  and  benevolence,  must  be  learned 
from  one  passage,  Matt.  xvi. :  ^Who  am  I,  do  men  say?* 
We  must  advance  one  step  farther :  '  Who  am  I,  do  you  say  ?* 
Peter  in  one  momentous  period  expressed  the  whole  affair — 
THOU  ART  THE  MESSIAH,  THE  SON  OF  THE 
LIVING  GOD.  The  two  ideas  expressed  concern  the  per^ 
son  of  the  Messiah  and  his  office.  The  one  implied  concerns 
his  character^  for  it  was  through  his  character,  as  developed, 
that  Peter  recognized  his  person  and  his  Messiahship.  Now 
let  us  take  the  shoes  from  off  our  feet,  for  we  stand  on 
holy  ground ;  and  let  us  hear  him  unfold  unto  Peter  his  in- 
tentions :  ^  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon,  son  of  Jonas !  Flesh  and 
blood  hath  not  revealed  this  unto  thee,  but  my  Father  which 
is  in  heaven.  But  I  say  unto  thee,  Thou  art  Peter  (or  stone), 
and  on  THIS  ROCK  I  will  build  MY  Church,  and  the  gates 
of  hell  (hades)  shall  not  prevail  against  it.'  It  will  stand  for 
ever.  *  I  will  give  unto  thee  (thyself  alone,  Peter)  the  keys 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  whose  sins  soever  you  remit. 


A  REFORMER  NEEDED,  523 

they  are  remitted,  and  whose  sins  soever  you  retain,  they 
shall  be  retained.*  Here,  then,  is  the  whole  mystery  of  the 
Christian  institution — the  full  confession  of  the  Christian 
faith.  All  that  is  peculiar  to  Christianity  is  found  in  these 
words ;  not  merely  in  embryo,  but  in  a  clearly-expressed  out- 
line. A  cordial  belief  and  clear  conception  of  these  two 
facts  will  make  any  man  a  Christian.  He  may  carry  them 
out  in  their  vast  dimensions  and  glorious  developments  to  all 
eternity*  He  may  ponder  upon  them  till  his  spirit  is  trans- 
formed into  the  image  of  God — until  he  shines  in  more  than 
angelic  brightness  in  all  the  purity  and  beauty  of  heavenly 
love.  Man  glorified  in  heaven,  gifted  with  immortality  and 
rapt  in  the  ecstasies  of  infinite  and  eternal  blessedness,  is  but 
the  mere  result  of  a  proper  apprehension  of  and  conformity 
to  this  confession.  I  am  always  overwhelmed  in  astonish- 
ment in  observing  how  this  document  has  been  disparaged 
and  set  at  naught  by  our  builders  of  churches.  It  seems  still 
to  be  '  a  stone  of  stumbling  and  a  rock  of  oftence.*  Yet  Jesus 
calls  it  the  rock.  It  is  in  the  figure  of  a  church  or  a  temple, 
the  foundation,  a  rock.  When  all  societies  build  on  this  one 
foundation,  and  on  it  only,  then  shall  there  be  unity  of  faith, 
of  afifection  and  of  co-operation  ;  but  never^  never  till  then. 
Every  other  foundation  is  sand.  Hence,  they  have  all  wasted 
away.  Innumerable  parties  have  perished  from  the  earth ; 
and  so  will  all  the  present  built  on  any  other  foundation  than 
this  rock." — Debate^  p.  821. 

^midst  the  sad  divisions  of  religious  society,  pro- 
duced and  perpetuated  by  substituting  a  doctrinal  for  a 
personal  faith,  and  the  orthodoxy  of  the  head  for  that 
of  the  heart,  when  men  relied  upon  nice  philosophical 
distinctions,  metaphysical  theories  and  theological  or 
ecclesiastical  systems  rather  than  upon  gospel  facts, 
there  needed  a  mind  like  that  of  Alexander  Campbell, 
of  expansive  generalizing  power  and  wide  reach  of 
thought,  capable  of  seizing  upon  the  grand  principles 
of  things  and  disengaging  from  the  rubbish  of  partyism 


524        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

the  truth  on  which  the  Church  of  Christ  was  founded. 
Nor  was  it  surprising  that  a  discovery  at  once  so  simple 
and  so  grand  should  fail  to  be  comprehended  and  ap- 
preciated at  once  by  those  who  were  accustomed,  like 
Mr.  Rice,  to  justify  sectarianism  and  find  abundant 
space  for  all  their  religious  thought  within  the  narrow 
limits  of  a  party.  Time  had  to  be  allowed,  that  men 
might  be  schooled  to  larger  views  and  learn  by  degrees 
the  important  lesson  that  "  God's  ways  are  not  as  man's 
ways,  nor  his  thoughts  as  man's  thoughts."  Even  now, 
after  the  lapse  of  more  than  half  a  century,  the  thought- 
ful among  religious  communities  are  only  beginning  to 
perceive  and  to  admit  that  if  Christian  union  is  ever  to 
be  established,  it  must  be  based  upon  the  simple  primi- 
tive and  personal  faith  advocated  and  first  publicly  ac- 
knowledged by  Mr.  Campbell  in  i§i2. 

Whatever  was  the  judgment  of  the  discerning  and 
impartial  with  regard  to  the  discussion  and  the  dispu- 
tants, it  is  certain  that  the  Presbyterians,  as  Mr.  Rice 
himself  had  done  throughout  the  debate,  boasted  of  a 
complete  victory  on  their  side.*  Carried  away  by  Mr. 
Rice's  confident  and  assuming  manner,  and  the  present 
effect  which  it  seemed  to  have  upon  the  unthinking  and 

*  A  similar  course  of  boasting  had  been  pursued  by  the  Presbyterians  in 
the  case  of  the  Jenning^s  Debate,  and  gave  rise  to  the  following  incident : 
While  Nashville  was  ringing  with  Presbyterian  acclamations,  an  aged  citizen 
accosted  one  of  the  boasters  in  the  following  style :  "  You  Presbyterians 
have  gained,  you  say,  a  glorious  victory.  I  do  not  understand  how  you  as- 
certain a  victory.  Do  tell  me  how  you  know  when  you  beat  I  will  tell 
you  how  in  old  times  we  judged  of  victories  when  I  was  in  the  Indian  wars. 
After  the  battle  was  over  we  counted  the  scalps,  and  those  who  could  show 
the  largest  number  of  them  were  said  to  have  conquered.  Now,  then,  since 
Mr.  Campbell  had  been  here,  he  has  immersed  some  thirty,  among  whom 
were  some  of  the  most  intelligent  citizens  of.  Nashville.  How  many  have 
you  added  to  your  church  oy  this  debate  ?*'  "  I  have  not  heard  of  any,"  said 
his  Presbyterian  friend.  "  Pray,  then,  my  dear  sir,  tell  me  how  you  know 
when  you  have  gained  a  great  victory." 


DISAPPOINTED  HOPE.  525 

prejudiced,  they  overlooked  the  fact  that  a  boastful  and 
supercilious  manner  was  incapable  of  being  transferred 
to  print,  like  the  argumentative  speeches  which  Mr. 
Campbell  had  wisely  designed  for  the  future  readers 
of  the  discussion.  They  seemed  also  to  have  failed 
to  notice  the  ominous  fact  that  when  Mr.  Campbell 
preached  during  the  period  of  the  discussion  quite  a 
number  came  forward  for  baptism,  and  among  them  a 
very  intelligent  Lutheran  preacher.*  The  assurance 
of  triumph,  however,  felt  by  the  Presbyterians  cannot 
justly  be  attributed  entirely  to  Mr.  Rice's  confident 
manner  and  bold  assertions.  He  certainly  acquitted 
himself  much  better  than  his  friends  expected,  and 
showed  a  readiness  in  reply  and  an  ingenuity  and  a 
plausibility  in  the  ai:guments  he  employed  quite  beyond 
public  expectation — a  circumstance  which  naturally 
tended  to  create  an  exaggerated  notion  of  his  ability. 
The  sincerity  of  the  Presbyterians  in  their  convictions 
of  success  was  well  shown  in  the  eagerness  with  which 
the  Rev.  J.  H.  Brown  purchased  for  $2000  the  copy- 
right of  the  printed  debate,  and  in  the  efforts  which  for 
a  time  were  made  by  them  to  circulate  it. 

It  was  soon  found,  however,  that  the  effect  of  the 

*  This  gentleman,  Mr.  William  McChesney,  who  possessed  undoubted 
testimonials  of  his  standing  with  the  Lutherans,  gave  afterward  to  Mr. 
Campbell  the  following  account :  "  I  could  have  sprinkled  a  child  the  day 
before  the  debate  commenced  with  a  good  conscience.  All  my  early  educa- 
tion  and  associations  were  placed  on  a  scale  with  Paedobaptism  during  the 
debate.  I  went  there  willing  to  ascertain  the  truth.  I  was  a  little  prejudiced 
against  you,  and  more  than  a  little  against  the  Reformation.  I  listened  with 
candor  and  attention.  After  the  whole  ground  had  been  gone  over,  I  was 
satisfied  that  nothing  but  immersion  would  do,  and  that  infant  baptism  could 
not  be  maintained  from  the  Scriptures.  I  felt  deeply  interested  in  the  whole 
matter.  If  Mr.  Rice  could  have  met  all  your  arguments  satisfactorily  to  my 
mind,  and  have  sustained  his  own  propositions,  he  would  have  received  my 
warmest  thanks.  He  failed,  however,  in  my  estimation—completely  failed  in 
both." 


526  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

printed  discussion  upon  the  public  mind  was  quite 
different  from  what  the  party  expected,  and  they  were 
mortified  to  perceive  that  it  was  making  many  converts 
to  Mr.  Campbell's  views,  but  none  to  Presbyterianism.* 

^Amongst  numerous  cases  of  the  kind,  the  following  may  be  given  as  illus- 
trating the  effect  produced  by  the  printed  debate :  Mrs.  Postlethwaite,  of 
Greensburg,  Pa.,  the  relict  of  Dr.  Postlethwaite,  an  elder  of  high  standing  in 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  who  had  herself  been  a  sincere  and  exemplary 
member  of  that  Church  for  full  fifty-four  years,  after  carefully  reading  the  de- 
bate three  times,  came  forward  and  demanded  immersion  on  her  own  con- 
fession of  the  faith,  and  was  accordingly  immersed.  What  made  this  case 
more  striking  was,  that  this  venerable  lady  was  spending  the  time  with  her 
son-in-law,  a  Presbyterian  clergymen,  during  the  time  she  was  examining 
this  discussion.  After  her  first  reading  she  thought  Mr.  Rice  had  sustained 
himself  pretty  well,  although  she  could  not  see  that  he  had  exactly  answered 
Mr,  CampbeWs  arptmetits.  She  read  again  and  again,  and  at  last  expressed 
herself  thoroughly  ashamed  of  the  disingenuousness  and  the  unfairness  of  | 

Mr.  Rice's  speeches,  and  thought  she  could  plainly  discover  this  important  ^ 

difference — that  one  side  was  contending  for  all-important  truths,  and  the 
other  for  contracted  human  institutions  and  traditions. 

Another  case  was  that  of  a  devoted  and  influential  member  in  the  Metho- 
dist Church,  who  thus  wrote  to  Mr.  Campbell  from  Nashville,  in  November, 
1S46 :  *'  I  commenced  to  read  the  debate  between  you  and  Rev.  N.  L.  Rice 
some  twelve  months  ago,  with  prejudices  decidedly,  for  the  most  part,  in 
favor  of  the  views  entertained  by  the  latter ;  but  by  the  time  I  had  finished  I 
was  fully  convinced  that  Mr.  Rice  had  utterly  failed  to  sustain  his  positions. 
Yet  I  was  not  fully  satisfied  that  the  doctrine  for  which  you  contended  was 
true.  It  was  a  clear  case  to  my  mind  that  your  arguments,  for  the  most  part, 
were  conclusive— that  you  had  gained  a  complete  triumph  over  Mr.  Rice ;  but 
yet  I  was  fearful  that  yo\xx  premises  might  somewhere  be  defective,  and,  to  be 
honest,  I  had  a  kind  of  a  secret  wish  that  it  might  be  so !  I  did  not,  some* 
how  or  other ^  like,  after  living  in  the  Methodist  Episcoi>a]  Church  for  some 
fourteen  years,  sustaining,  too,  as  I  did,  an  official  relation  to  that  Church,  to 
give  up  my  long-cherished  opinions.  Still,  I  determined,  after  making  a  fair 
test  of  your  views,  to  fall  upon  the  side  of  the  truth,  should  it  even  be  what 
I  was  pleased,  in  common  with  many  others,  to  call  '  Campbellism.'  I  there- 
fore, with  earnest  inquiry  after  God's  revealed  truth,  fled  to  the  Bible,  and 
read  it  with  greater  care  and  solicitude,  if  possible,  than  I  had  ever  done  be- 
fore. The  result  of  this  was  a  confirmation  of  my  already  pardal  conviction 
of  the  truth  of  your  position.  I  found  that  what  I  had  supposed  to  be  Camp- 
bellism was  God's  own  revealed  truth.  Under  this  conviction,  about  the  24th 
of  last  May,  in  Franklin  county,  Ky.,  I  was  inunersed,  after  which  I  became  a 
member  of  the  Christian  Church.     Is  not  my  case,  with  many  others  similar, 


ESTIMATE   OF  THE  DISCUSSION.  527 

Upon  this,  Mr.  Brown  gladly  disposed  of  his  copyright 
for  a  small  sum  to  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church 
at  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  C.  D.  Roberts,  who  imme- 
diately printed  a  large  edition  of  the  work,  which  has 
been  since  patronized  and  circulated  by  the  Reformers. 
Results  have  shown  that  whatever  personal  distinction 
or  notoriety  the  debate  may  have  given  to  Mr.  Rice, 
it  certainly  added  nothing  to  the  cause  of  Presbyterian- 
ism,  which  in  Kentucky  continued  still  to  decline,  while 
that  of  the  Reformation  steadily  prospered.  The  fol- 
lowing just  estimate  of  Mr.  Rice's  performance,  from 
the  **  Christian  Messenger,"  published  in  London,  Oc- 

a  demonstration  of  the  (shall  I  say  ?)  omnipotence  of  truth  ?  When  I  com- 
menced reading  the  debate  to  which  I  have  alluded,  my  prejudices  were  un- 
reasonable against  yourself  and  what  I  then  considered  exclusively  ^wr  doc- 
trine ;  but  the  tiuth — the  unsophisticated  truth,  as  contended  for  by  yourself 
and  confirmed  by  the  Bible— proved  sufficiently  strong  to  conquer  that  mon- 
ster Prejudice.  Accept,  my  dear  brother,  my  assurances  of  high  esteem  and 
Christian  regard.  P.  O.  Jenkins." 

None  of  these  cases,  however,  gave  Mr.  Campbell  greater  pleasure  than 
that  of  his  uncle  Archibald,  of  Newry,  Ireland,  several  of  whose  children 
had  emigrated  to  the  United  States  and  adopted  the  reformatory  views. 
Among  these  may  be  mentioned  Enos  Campbell,  who  has  distinguished  him- 
self both  as  a  teacher  and  as  an  able  public  advocate  of  the  Reformatioa 
The  father,  Archibald  Campbell,  continued,  nevertheless,  to  maintain  his 
Presbyterian  sentiments  and  to  act  as  an  elder  of  the  Presbyterian  Secession 
church  at  Newry,  an  office  which  he  had  ^led  for  more  than  half  a  century. 
At  length,  in  May,  1S46,  he  thus  wrote  to  Mr.  Campbell :  "  I  read  your  de- 
bate with  Mr.  Rice,  through  the  medium  of  your  Dungannon  friends.  I  con- 
sider him  a  much  more  wily  antagonist  than  either  McCalla  or  Walker.  I 
would  not  be  surprised  if  ihe  popular  cry  would  be  in  his  favor.  He  seems 
to  have  the  tact  of  making  the  most  of  everything  that  might  appear  in  his 
favor.  .  .  .  But,  notwithstanding  his  ingenuity  and  wiles,  I  am  constrained  to 
give  up  infant  baptism  as  being  apostolical."  "  This,"  said  Mr.  Campbell, 
commenting  on  this  letter,  "  coming  from  such  a  source — from  one  who  has 
often,  during  twenty  years,  objected  to  my  views  on  this  subject  and  corre- 
sponded with  me  in  defence  not  only  of  in£mt  baptism,  but  of  the  differential 
peculiarities  of  Presbyterianism,  and  one  of  the  most  learned  and  influential 
elders  of  that  Church  in  the  North  of  Ireland — I  regard  as  a  very  great  tri- 
umph. Such  a  man's  testimony,  with  me,  weighs  more  than  that  of  many 
thousand." 


528        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL. 

tober,  1844,  gives  a  fair  illustration  of  the  effect  of  the 
printed  discussion  upon  truth-loving  minds : 

'^  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  such  a  man  as  Mr.  Rice  should 
be  the  chosen  champion  of  any  religious  party.     From  *a 
body  so  respectable  as  the  Presb^-terians  are,  in  talent  and 
learning,  an  advocate  talented  and  learned  was  to  be  expected — 
one  worthy  to  appear  for  a  great  people.     Mr.  Rice   is  not 
this.     His  qualifications,  if  he  were  a  lawyer,  would  fit  him 
well  to  manage  a  nisi  prius  case,  but  he  should  not  plead  in 
a  higher  court.     Bishop  Purcell,  Mr.  Campbell's  quondam 
opponent,  though  we  thought  him  an  adept  in  sophistical 
argumentation,  in  the  manoeuvre   of  evasion   and   in    some 
other  things  too  little  for  special  notice,  has  been  outdone  in 
these  respects  by  a  Presbyterian  polemic.     The  bishop,  in- 
deed, was  apparently  averse  to  argue  in  this  way  when  he 
could  do  anything  else.     Not  so,  Mr.  Rice ;  he  prefers  the 
obliquities  of  argument  and  the  quibbles  of  tlie  schools  to 
the  more  agreeable  course  chosen  by  the  bishop,  who,  when 
argument  was  scarce,  entertained  the  audience  with  a  mixture 
of  philosophy  and  poetry,  and  enlivened  his  speeches  with  an 
eloquence  rendered  earnest  by  an  abundant  faith.     Mr.  Rice 
will  at  least  escape  the  reproach  of  making  digressions  of  this 
kind  ;  but  had  he  done  so — had  he  been  competent  to  do  so — 
his  part  of  the  book  would  not  be  altogether  so  barren  as  it 
is  for  those  who  care  not  for  gathering  the  fruit  of  mere  con- 
troversial  ingenuity.     In  fine,  persons  who  are  acquainted 
with  the  whole  subject  of  this  controversy  will  not  rise  from 
the  perusal  of  Mr.  Rice's  speeches  with  one  new  idea,  while 
the  ignorant  are  likely  to  be  misled  by  the  strange  aberrations 
from  truth  in  his  statements,  as  well  of  matters  of  fact  as  of 
matters  of  criticism." 

Mr.  Rice  nevertheless  received  various  honors  from 
the  Presbyterians,  among  which  was  the  title  of  D.  D., 
which  had  been  conferred  in  turn  upon  Mr.  Campbell's 
former  opponents,  Ralston,  McCalla  and  Jennings.  As 
Dr.  Priestley  used  to  say  when  he  found  his  Episcopal 


EARNEST  LABORS.  529 

opponents  immediately  raised  to  the  rank  of  bishops, 
that  ''it  was  he  who  made  the  bishops  of  England ,** Mr. 
Campbell  with  equal  propriety  could  say  that  it  was  he 
who  made,  in  his  time,  the  Presbyterian  doctors  of 
divinity.  "We  are  always  pleased,"  said  he,  "and 
feel  ourselves  honored  by  the  theological  promotion  of 
our  opponents.  The  Rev.  McCalla  was  dubbed  D.  D. 
after  his  debate  with  me,  and  even  Dr.  Purcell  is  a 
bishop  much  nearer  the  papal  throne  since  than  before 
his  victory  at  Cincinnati." 

The  era  of  the  Rice  debate  was  one  of  the  busiest 
periods  of  Mr.  Campbell's  life.  In  addition  to  his 
duties  at  the  college,  he  continued  the  "  Harbinger,"  and 
had  likewise  to  prepare  for  the  press  his  portion  of  the 
debate.  During  this  year  he  published  also  his  Extra 
on  "  Life  and  Death,"  as  well  as  an  Address  which  he 
delivered  before  the  "Union  Literary  Society"  of  Mi- 
ami University,  on  "The  Responsibilities  of  Men  of 
Genius."  Although  he  was  now  about  fifty-five  years 
of  age,  his  physical  and  intellectual  vigor  seemed  un- 
abated. He  complained  often,  it  is  true,  during  his 
tours  of  the  fatigue  he  experienced,  but  it  was  surpris- 
ing to  see  how  quickly  a  little  rest  restored  him,  and 
how  fresh  he  seemed  even  after  his  sixteen  days'  debate 
with  Mr.  Rice,  and  its  attendant  labors.  Incessant  oc- 
cupation, indeed,  seemed  to  be  a  necessity  of  his  being, 
no  less  than  a  result  of  the  earnestness  with  which  he 
sought  to  benefit  society.  He  had  been  fitted  for  his 
work,  as  well  by  the  grandeur  of  his  moral  and  intel- 
lectual nature,  as  by  the  restless  activity  of  his  entire 
mental  and  physical  constitution,  and  seemed  impelled 
by  an  irresistible  impulse  to  employ  his  energies  in  be- 
half of  the  noble  purposes  for  which  alone  he  seemed 
to  live. 

TOL.  II. — 2 1  45 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

View  of  slavery— Bethany  College— Tour  to  the  South — Tour  to  the  Far 
West — "  Evangelical  alliance  " — Tour  in  England,  France  and  Scotland — 
Persecutions. 

THE  power  of  great  men  to  control  public  sentiment 
and  to  direct  human  progress  i&  immense,  and 
imposes  on  them  peculiar  responsibilities.  Such  of 
them  as  are  good  as  well  as  great  will  hence  be  careful 
that  their  influence  is  not  employed  for  purposes  of  sel- 
fish aggrandizement,  and  that  they  seek  neither  to  float 
idly  upon  the  favoring  current  of  popular  opinion  nor 
to  direct  it  into  improper  channels.  Amidst  the  con- 
flicting movements  of  human  aflfairs  it  is  also  most  im- 
portant that  they  should  make  their  real  position  clearly 
understood,  so  that  in  matters  aflfecting  human  welfare 
their  authority  may  not  be  unjustly  claimed  for  false 
principles  or  injurious  measures.  From  the  beginning, 
Mr.  Campbell  had  fully  shown  his  sense  of  du^  in 
these  respects,  and  was  far  from  disregarding  it  now 
when  his  reputation  and  influence  were  so  widely  ex- 
tended. No  personal  aims  or  sectional  prejudices  could 
narrow  the  largeness  of  his  mind,  or  induce  him  to 
swerve  in  any  degree  from  the  interests  of  truth  and 
right  for  which  he  was  ever  ready  to  sacrifice  human 
applause  and  suflTer  unjust  reproach. 

Of  this  he  gave  fresh  evidence  about  this  period  in 
relation  to  several  important  questions,  and  particularly 

580 


SLAVE/^r  INEXPEDIENT,  53 1 

to  that  of  slavery,  which  now  engrossed  a  very  large 
share  of  public  attention,  and  was  producing  important 
revolutions  both  in  political  and  in  religious  society.  It 
had  already  divided  the  Methodists  into  two  parties, 
and  was  now  threatening  to  produce  a  similar  result  in 
the  case  of  the  Reformers,  many  of  whom,  carried  away 
by  the  excitement  of  the  period,  had  come  to  regard 
slaveholding  in  itself  as  a  sin,  and  were  disposed  to  refuse 
religious  fellowship  to  those  who  in  any  wise  sanctioned 
it.  Mr.  Campbell  had,  indeed,  on  various  occasions 
condemned  the  institution  of  slavery  as  existing  in  the 
United  States,  and  had  used  his  influence  on  all  proper 
occasions  in  favor  of  emancipation.  But  when  extrem- 
ists under  the  pretended  sanction  of  the  Bible  began  to 
deny  the  lawfulness  of  the  relation  of  master  and  ser- 
vant, and  to  pervert  the  Scriptures  in  order  to  support 
their  assumptions,  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  oppose  their 
errors  and  to  withhold  his  sanction  from  their  proceed- 
ings. He  accordingly  at  this  period  thought  it  neces- 
sary to  define,  in  a  series  of  articles  in  the  '*  tiarbinger," 
his  position  in  relation  to  the  institution. 

At  the  close  of  these  articles  he  expressed  his  views 
summarily  as  follows : 

^'  I.  That  the  relation  of  master  and  servant  is  npt  in  itself 
sinful  or  immoral.  2.  That,  nevertheless,  slavery  as  practiced 
in  any  part  of  the  civilized  world  is  inexpedient;  because 
not  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  the  age  nor  the  moral  ad- 
vancement of  society  ;  because  in  itself,  as  fully  demonstrated, 
not  favorable  to  individual  and  national  prosperity ;  and  be- 
cause it  imposes  on  Christian  masters  and  their  families 
burdens  and  responsibilities  not  easily  discharged  in  existing 
circumstances ;  and  which,  when  not  discharged,  prevent  that 
reBned  and  elevated  personal  and  domestic  happiness  so  de- 
sirable to  any  Christian  household.  3.  That  no  Christian 
community  governed  by  the  Bible,  Old  Testament  and  New, 


532  MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

can  constitutionally  and  rightfully  make  the  simple  relation 
of  master  and  slave  a  term  of  Christian  fellowship  or  a  sub- 
ject of  discipline,  while  in  duty  bound  in  this  case,  as  in  all 
others,  to  take  cognizance  of  any  neglect  or  violation  of  the 
relative  duties  obligatory  on  the  parties." — "  Mill.  Harb.*'  for 
1845,  p.  263. 

In  maintaining  the  above  positions,  Mr.  Campbell 
looked  at  the  subject  entirely  from  a  scriptural  point  of 
view : 

"  Our  position,"  said  he,  "  is  not  that  of  a  politician,  an 
economist,  a  mere  moralist,  but  that  of  a  Christian.  ...  I 
stand  or  fall  by  supernatural  religion  or  revelation.  Hence, 
my  position,  and  the  reasons  of  it.  can  be  clearly  stated  and 
satisfactorily  sustained  by  the  New  Testament,  and  to  those 
who  admit  its  divine  authority.  I  know  some  men,  and  have 
heard  of  others,  who  candidly  aver  the  resolution  to  abandon 
the  Bible  as  soon  as  it  is  made  evident  that  it  sanctions  the 
relation  of  master  and  slave.  Such  is  their  faith  in  their 
own  reason,  and  such  their  preference  for  natural  law,  con- 
science and  religion,  that,  if  any  sacrifice  is  to  be  made,  they 
will  sacrifice  the  Bible  to  their  theory  rather  than  their  theory 
to  the  Bible.  I  have  nothing  to  say  at  this  time  to  such 
Christians  as  these. 

"  When  I  affirm  that  the  New  Testament  without  censure 
recognizes  the  relation  of  master  and  servant,  I  do  not  say 
that  it  sanctions  the  legalized  treatment  of  either  master  or 
slave,  according  to  the  American  or  any  other  code.  I  do 
not  say  that  the  New  Testament  authorizes  a  man  to  treat  his 
servants  as  he  treats  his  mules  or  his  oxen ;  that  if  he  feed, 
clothe  and  house  them  well,  find  them  abundance  of  whole- 
some food  in  health,  medicine  and  medical  attendance  in 
sickness,  that  he  has  ^  rendered  unto  them  that  which  is  just 
and  equal*  They  have  souls  as  well  as  bodies ;  they  have 
powers  of  reason ;  they  have  consciences,  moral  feelings, 
moral  instincts,  and  are  susceptible  of  spiritual  enjoyments, 
of  immortality  and  eternal  life.  They  have  the  rights  of 
husbands  and  of  wives,  of  parents  and  of  children ;  and  anv 


POSITION  DEFINED,  533 

code  which  takes  these  away  from  them  is  not  of  God,  but  of 
man.  Moral  training,  religious  and  moral  instruction,  they 
must  have  among  their  inalienable  rights  and  privileges. 
These  cannot  be  withheld  by  Christian  masters  without  the 
forfeiture  of  Christian  character  and  Christian  privilege,  no 
matter  under  what  code  of  laws  such  injustice  be  perpetuated. 
"When,  then,  I  strongly  affirm  my  long-cherished  and 
deeply-impressed  conviction  that  the  New  Testament  sanc- 
tions the  relation  of  master  and  slave,  when  such  relation  is 
providentially  existing  in  any  community,  I  do  not  maintain 
that  it  sanctions  any  man  in  *  man-stealing'  in  taking  away 
the  liberty  of  any  man  born  free,  or  in  withholding  from 
those  *born  in  his  house  or  bought  with  his  money'  any  of 
these  specified  rights,  immunities  and  privileges  above  enu- 
merated.*'— Mil.  Harb.  for  1845,  p.  236. 

Defining  an  abolitionist  as  one  who  deniec)  the  law- 
fulness of  the  relation  of  master  and  servant  and  in- 
sisted on  its  immediate  abrogation,  he  says  elsewhere 
(Id.  p.  358)  : 

"  I  have  always  been  anti-slavery,  but  never  an  abolitionist, 
if  I  may  illustrate  a  definition  in  my  own  case.  There  are 
many  men  owning  slaves  quite  anti-slavery  in  all  their  views 
and  feelings,  while  yet  reprobating  the  doctrines  and  move- 
ments of  abolitionists.  All  men  of  humanity  and  good  sense 
contemplate  an  end  of  slavery  in  all  its  obnoxious  attributes, 
but  no  one  anticipates  a  sudden  or  immediate  termination  of 
it,  except  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  Christians  can  never 
be  reformers  in  any  system  which  uses  violence^  or  recom* 
mends  or  expects  it,  I  have  already  suggested  political, 
economical  and  moral  reasons  why  this  institution  should 
ultimately  yield  to  the  genius  of  the  age  and  the  spirit  of 
our  institutions.  But  as  members  of  Christ's  Church,  our 
duties  have  already  and  repeatedly  been  pointed  out ;  and  to 
these  now  must  all  conform  if  we  expect  or  desire  the  plau- 
dits of  the  great  Master  and  Judge  of  all. 

"  My  object  in  writing  on  this  subject  is  already  in  a  great 

46* 


534        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

measure  gained.  I  have  from  all  parties — abolition  and  anti- 
abolition — such  approval  of  the  grounds  proposed  as  to  be- 
lieve that  on  calm  and  deliberate  reflection  they  will  command 
the  acquiescence  of  all  whose  approbation  and  co-operation 
are  desirable  in  the  great  work  of  reformation.  The  true  par- 
tisan, the  political  aspirant,  with  all  those  desirous  of  political 
revolution  for  the  sake  of  a  new  order  of  things,  will  never 
approve  my  views.  I  do  not  expect  such  a  thing.  I  neither 
desire  nor  covet  their  approbation.  I  have  the  exquisite 
satisfaction  to  know  that  I  -am  countenanced  and  encouraged 
in  this  course  by  the  unanimous  voices  of  patriarchs,  pro- 
phets and  apostles — by  the  whole  genius  and  spirit  of  the 
Christian  institution — by  the  doctrine  and  example  of  the 
Author  and  Founder  of  the  Christian  faith.  This  is  enough 
for  me." 

Mr.  Campbell's  conservative  course  in  regard  to  this 
disturbing  question,  while  it  preserved  the  reforming 
churches  from  division,  excited  against  him  the  ani- 
mosity of  many  individuals  who  had  hoped  that  he 
would  declare  himself  in  favor  of  their  particular  views, 
and  who  now  refused  to  take  his  periodical  any  longer. 
Such  tokens  of  displeasure,  however,  did  not  deter  him 
from  hazarding  similar  consequences  in  speaking  out 
boldly  against  Christians  becoming  members  of  secret 
societies^  and  thereby  compromising,  as  he  thought,  the 
character  and  influence  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  Nor 
did  he  hesitate  to  denounce  also  ivar  as  utterly  abhor- 
rent to  the  gospel  and  incompatible  with  the  Christian 
character.  He  occupied  also  a  considerable  space  in  a 
special  exposure  of  the  evils  and  errors  of  Methodism, 
which  excited  no  little  commotion  in  certain  quarters, 
and  in  which  he  endeavored  to  fulflU  a  duty  which  he 
conceived  himself  to  owe  to  that  large  and  highly 
respectable  community. 

At   this   period   the  aflfairs  of  Bethany  College   de- 


FAMILY  SCHOOL.  535 

manded  unusual  attention.  The  difficulties  and  disap- 
pointments incident  to  the  establishment  of  such  institu- 
tions had  not  been  wanting,  but  these  were  met  with 
wisdom  and  firmness,  and  a  respectable  number  of  stu- 
dents were  constantly  in  attendance,  while  there  were 
the  most  favorable  indications  of  the  accomplishment 
of  great  good.  The  want  of  adequate  support,  however, 
compelled  the  faculty  of  the  institution  to  make  great 
sacrifices,  and  Mr.  Campbell,  earnestly  desiring  to  pro- 
cure a  sufficient  endowment,  found  it  necessary  to  exert 
his  personal  influence  to  the  utmost,  and  to  make  fre- 
quent and  extensive  tours  for  this  purpose.  He  wished 
also  to  put  into  operation  as  soon  as  practicable  the 
primary  department,  in  which  he  had  great  hopes  of 
being  able  to  secure  that  early  moral  training  and  in- 
struction in  which  he  was  most  deeply  interested,  and 
upon  which  in  his  general  plan  he  had  placed  great 
reliance  as  the  most  important  preparation  for  the  col- 
lege course.  He  had  already  erected  at  his  own  ex- 
pense a  large  building  for  the  purpose  at  some  distance 
from  the  college,  and  sought  diligently  to  obtain  persons 
fitted  to  carry  out  his  designs.  Failing  in  this,  however, 
and  finding  after  some  time  that  this  department  was 
not  sufficiently  patronized  to  justify  the  continuance  of 
the  experiment,  it  was  reluctantly  abandoned.  It  was 
seen  indeed  in  its  progress  that  young  boys  away  from 
the  influence  of  home  and  watchful  parental  guardian- 
ship were  peculiarly  exposed,  and  especially  as  brought 
more  or  less  into  necessary  communication  with  the 
older  college  students.  Mr.  Campbell,  however,  still 
cherished  the  belief  that  could  he  have  obtained  a 
patron  and  a  matron  with  teachers  possessed  of  the 
peculiar  qualifications  necessary  for  such  a  charge,  his 
highest  hopes  would  have  been  attained.     The  labors 


53^    MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

of  all  concerned  were  accordingly  now  concentrated 
upon  the  college  and  the  church,  from  which  there  soon 
began  to  be  developed  beneficial  results  to  the  cause  of 
the  Reformation,  which  fully  equaled  Mr.  Campbell's 
highest  expectations.  Many  talented  and  well-educated 
young  men  were  annually  sent  forth,  who  at  once  began 
to  distinguish  themselves  by  their  enlarged  views,  their 
knowledge  of  the  Bible,  and  the  practical  skill  and 
energy  which  they  displayed  on  their  various  fields  of 
operation.  The  churches,  which  in  many  places  had 
long  suffered  for  want  of  an  efficient  ministry  and  com- 
petent teachers,  began  to  be  supplied,  and  a  new  impulse 
was  given  to  the  cause  of  the  primitive  gospel. 

lu  March,  1845,  Mr.  Campbell,  in  company  with  R. 
L*  Coleman,  made  another  tour  to  the  South,  speak- 
ing at  various  points  in  Virginia  and  visiting  many  old 
friends,  and  among  others  the  excellent  T.  M.  Henley, 
who  was  gradually  failing  in  health,  but  whose  spirit- 
ual enjoyment  and  religious  fervor  seemed  to  be  re- 
newed day  by  day.  At  Richmond,  where  he  met  with 
Brethren  Bullard  and  Shelburne,  he  found  the  church 
still  prospering  under  the  labors  of  James  Henshall. 
Passing  from  thence  to  Wilmington,  North  Carolina,  and 
thence  to  Charleston,  he  proceeded  to  Augusta,  Georgia, 
still  accompanied  by  Mr.  Coleman,  where  they  de- 
livered addresses  to  increasing  congregations,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  removing  much  of  the  religious  prejudice 
which  existed.  Here  they  were  kindly  entertained  by 
a  wealthy  and  pious  sister,  Mrs.  Tubman,  who  sent  at 
her  own  expense  a  number  of  students  to  Bethany  Col- 
lege, and  contributed  largely  of  her  means  to  its  endow- 
ment. Here  they  met  also  the  excellent  Dr.  Hooke, 
who  had  been  mayor  of  the  city,  and  who  distinguished 
himself  for  many  years  by  his  faithful  advocacy  of  the 


VISIT  TO  MISSOURI.  537 

Reformation  in  Georgia  and  South  Carolina.  Here, 
also,  he  formed  a  pleasant  acquaintance  with  many  dis- 
tinguished persons,  as  ex-Governor  Schley,  of  Georgia, 
and  Mr.  Hammond,  of  South  Carolina. 

Upon  visiting  Governor  Hammond  by  special  invita- 
tion at  his  residence,  sixteen  miles  from  Augusta,  he 
found  him  to  be  a  gentleman  of  superior  taste  in  litera- 
ture and  the  fine  arts,  which  he  had  improved  by  a  long 
residence  in  Europe,  and  while  with  him  held  various 
interesting  conversations  upon  the  evidences  and  great 
themes  of  the  gospel.  Upon  his  return  he  spoke  in 
Charleston,  and  passing  from  thence  to  Petersburg, 
he  held  profitable  meetings  in  Lunenburg,  Amelia,  and 
various  other  points  south  of  James  River,  and  after 
visiting  Louisa  county,  delivered  some  discourses  at 
Charlottesville,  from  whence,  on  the  5th  of  May,  he  re- 
turned home,  having  traveled  twenty-five  hundred  miles 
in  two  months,  during  which  he  delivered  more  than 
fifty  addresses,  and  was  almost  incessantly  occupied 
with  company  and  conversation. 

On  the  last  day  of  September  of  this  year  he  again 
set  out  from  home  upon  a  trip  to  the  •*  Far  West." 
Unable  in  consequence  to  attend  the  meeting  of  the 
College  of  Teachers  in  Cincinnati,  to  which  he  was 
especially  invited,  he  prepared  while  passing  down  the 
Ohio  an  interesting  address  upon  education,  to  be  read 
at  their  meeting.  Visiting  St.  Louis,  where  Jacob 
Creath,  Jr.,  was  then  laboring,  he  set  out  in  company 
with  him  by  stage  for  Columbia,  one  hundred  and  forty 
miles  distant,  where  the  annual  State  meeting  was  to 
be  held,  at  which  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  churches 
were  heard  from,  the  membership  in  this  State  being 
estimated  as  considerably  upward  of  fifteen  thousand. 
While  here,  Mr.  Campbell  enjoyed  the  kind  hospitali- 


538         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

ties  of  Mr.  Barr  in  Columbia,  and  of  Thomas  M.  Allen 
at  his  pleasant  residence  eight  miles  from  the  city. 
Passing  thence  to  various  other  parts  of  the  State, 
as  Lexington,  Booneville,  Liberty,  etc.,  the  distances 
being  great  and  his  appointments  numerous,  he  was 
compelled  to  travel  post-haste  from  point  to  point ;  and 
after  these  fatiguing  journeys  and  labors  by  day  and 
night,  finally  on  his  return  reached  Fayette,  forty  miles 
from  Columbia,  where  he  again  met  with  T.  M.  Allen, 
who  accompanied  him  to  Paris.  Parting  at  this  place, 
Mr.  Campbell  went  on  to  Palmyra,  and  thence  to  Han- 
nibal. 

Here  he  visited  Mr.  Bowen,  son-in-law  of  B.  W. 
Stone,  and  entered  with  deep  feeling  the  apartment  in 
which  a  few  months  before  (November,  1844)  the 
latter  had  closed  his  useful  life.  He  was  at  the  time  on 
a  visit  to  Missouri,  and  after  holding  several  meetings 
was  taken  ill  upon  his  way  back  to  Illinois.  His  faith 
and  hope  and  patience  never  shone  more  brightly  than 
amidst  the  sufi!erings  of  his  last  hours.  Calling  his 
friends  and  such  of  his  children  as  were  present  around 
him,  he  admonished  and  exhorted  them  to  live  to  the 
glory  of  God,  giving  to  each  one  individually  the  most 
affectionate  counsels.  When  asked  by  his  physician. 
Dr.  D.  Morton,  what  he  now  thought  of  the  doctrine  he 
had  preached,  he  promptly  replied  that  he  believed  it 
to  be  true.  '*  I  may  indeed,"  said  he,  **  have  held 
some  erroneous  opinions  on  minor  points,  but  in  the 
main  I  conscientiously  believe  I  have  taught  the  truth, 
and  have  tried  to  live  what  I  have  preached  to  others. 
But  it  is  not  by  works  of  righteousness  that  I  have  done, 
but  according  to  his  mercy.  He  saved  me  by  the  wash- 
ing of  regeneration  and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
which  he  shed  on  me  abundantly  through  Jesus  Christ. 


TOUR  IN  ILLINOIS.  539 

It  is  of  grace — it  is  all  of  grace.**  When  asked  by 
Jacob  Creath  if  he  had  any  fear  at  the  approach  of 
death,  he  said:  '*  Oh  no,  Brother  Creath;  I  know  in 
whom  I  have  believed  and  in  whom  I  have  trusted,  and 
I  am  persuaded  he  is  able  to  keep  what  I  have  com- 
mitted to  him.  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  lives.  All 
my  dependence  is  on  God  ar  d  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ." 
Quoting  and  commenting  on  some  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture, he  said:  "My  strength  fails,  but  God  is  my 
strength  and  my  portion  for  ever."  Then  requesting 
to  be  placed  in  an  arm-chair,  and  conversing  on  the  love 
of  God,  he  reclined  his  head  on  the  shoulder  of  his  son 
Barton,  and  fell  asleep  in  the  Lord.  Mr.  Campbell, 
with  his  strong  personal  attachments,  greatly  regretted 
the  death  of  one  who  had  been,  as  he  said,  "  the  honored 
instrument  of  bringing  many  out  of  the  ranks  of  human 
traditions,  and  putting  into  their  hands  the  Book  of 
books  as  their  only  confession  of  faith  and  rule  of  life ;" 
and  was  happy  in  being  able  to  procure  an  oil  portrait 
of  him,  which  he  conveyed  to  Bethany ;  and  in  after 
years  often  gazed  with  emotions  of  affectionate  remem- 
brance upon  the  benignant  features  of  his  departed  fel- 
low-labdrer  as  portrayed  in  this  excellent  likeness,  which 
he  placed,  with  those  of  his  own  venerated  father  and  his 
children,  upon  the  wall  of  the  apartment  in  which  he 
was  wont  to  assemble  his  family  for  morning  and  even- 
ing worship. 

From  Hannibal  he  passed  into  Illinois,  where,  at 
Winchester,  he  met  with  J.  T.  Jones,  who  accom- 
panied him  to  Jacksonsville  and  various  other  points  in 
the  State — as  Springfield,  Bloomington,  etc.  Again 
reaching  St.  Louis,  he  took  passage  on  a  boat  for 
Wheeling ;  but  the  navigation  being  closed  by  ice  in 
the  Upper  Ohio,  he  was  compelled  to  make  his  way  to 


540         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

Bethany  in  sleighs  over  the  rough  roads  and  mountains 
of  Western  Virginia.  In  less  than  nine  months  of  this 
year,  Mr.  Campbell  passed  over  at  least  seven  thousand 
miles,  speaking  in  villages  and  hamlets  scattered  from 
Georgia  *to  the  Far  West  of  Misso\iri. 

With  the  beginning  of  the  year  1846  he  enlarged  the 
**  Harbinger"  to  sixty  pages  per  month,  and  took  as  co- 
editor  Professor  W.  K.  Pendleton,  who  had  already 
efficiently  aided  in  the  work  and  signalized  his  ability 
as  a  writer.  In  March  of  this  year,  Mr.  Campbell 
published  his  address,  delivered  before  the  Washington 
Literary  Institute,  upon  **  Capital  Punishment," in  refer- 
ence to  which,  with  his  accustomed  fealty  to  Bible 
teaching,  be  showed  that  it  is  alike  an  oracle  of  rea- 
son, of  justice  and  of  mercy  that  **  whosoever  sheddeth 
man's  blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed,"  and  that, 
therefore,  no  substitute  should  be  taken  for  the  life  of 
the  murderer,  inasmuch  as  by  the  eternal  and  immutable 
law  of  God  **  the  land  cannot  be  cleansed  of  the  blood 
that  is  shed  therein  but  by  the  blood  of  him  that  shed 
it."  The  above  address  he  published  as  one  of  his 
tracts  for  the  people.  Of  these  he  had  already  published 
several,  of  twelve  pages  each,  upon  important  religious 
subjects,  and  continued  them  occasionally  for  several 
years.  The  above  tracV  on  capital  punishment  was 
widely  circulated  in  America  and  republished  in  Eng- 
land, copies  being  sent  to  Lord  John  Russell  and  other 
eminent  statesmen.  On  the  eleventh  of  March  of  this 
year  the  devoted  Thomas  M.  Henley,  who  had  suffered 
so  much  for  the  cause  of  the  Reformation  in  Virginia, 
died  in  the  triumphs  of  faith,  in  his  sixty-fourth  year. 
Shortly  before,  he  wrote  his  last  communication  to  Mr. 
Campbell,  in  which  he  remarked:  *' After  a  corre- 
spondence of  nearly  twenty-one  years,  I  am  the  more 


EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE.  541 

persuaded  of  the  great  work  you  are  engaged  in,  and 
that  no  man  or  set  of  men  can  ever  publish  a  more  solid 
basis  of  union  than  that  you  and  your  venerable  father 
have  published  to  the  world  some  thirty-five  years  ago." 
On  the  29th  of  May  of  the  same  year,  Mr.  Campbell's 
daughter  Lavinia,  wife  of  Professor  W.  K.  Pendleton, 
died  of  pulmonary  disease,  having,  with  great  patience 
and  resignation,  waited  for  the  hour  of  her  release, 
and  leaving  behind  her  an  only  daughter,  named  Camp- 
bellina. 

About  this  period  the  '*  Evangelical  Alliance,"  de- 
signed to  promote  the  union  of  Christians,  attracted 
much  of  Mr.  Campbell's  attention,  and  was  hailed  by 
him  with  great  satisfaction  as  an  indication  of  the  ap- 
proach of  a  better  era.  As  to  the  basis  of  union  which 
it  proposed,  he  expressed  a  substantial  agreement, 
though  objecting  to  some  of  the  expressions  employed 
as  unscriptural.  He  pointed  out  the  resemblance  of  the 
movement  to  that  of  the  *' Christian  Association"  in 
Washington  in  1809,  which,  like  the  Evangelical  Al- 
liance, assumed  not  the  character  of  a  church,  but  of  a 
society  to  promote  union  among  Christians,  and  re- 
marked, at  the  close  of  his  article : 

"  I  said  at  the  beginning,  I  say  at  the  close,  of  my  notice  of 
the  Evangelical  Alliance,  that  I  thank  God  and  take  courage 
at  every  eflbrt,  however  imperfect  it  may  be,  to  open  the  eyes 
of  the  community  to  the  impotency  and  wickedness  of  schism, 
and  to  impress  upon  the  conscientious  and  benevolent  portion 
of  the  Christian  profession  the  excellency,  the  beauty  ^nd  the 
necessity  of  co-operation  in  the  cause  of  Christ  as  prerequisite 
to  the  diffusion  of  Christianity  throughout  the  nations  of  the 
earth. 

''  The  Reformation  for  which  we  plead  grew  out  of  a  con- 
viction of  the  enormous  evils  of  schism  and  partyism,  and  the 
first  article  ever  printed  by  any  of  the  co-operants  in  the  pres- 

46 


542         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

ent  effort  was  upon  the  subject  of  the  necessity,  practicability 
and  excellency  of  Christian  union  and  communion,  in  order 
to  the  purification  and  extension  of  the  Christian  profession. 
The  abjuration  of  human  creeds  as  roots  of  bitterness  and 
apples  of  discord,  as  the  permanent  causes  of  all  sectarian- 
ism, was  set  forth  as  a  preliminary  step  to  the  purification  of 
the  Church  and  the  conversion  of  the  world.  The  restoration 
of  a  pure  speech,  or  the  giving  of  Bible  names  to  Bible  ideas, 
followed  in  its  train,  and  from  these  standing-points  we  have 
been  led  step  by  step  to  our  present  position,  each  one  of  the 
prime  movers  adding  to  the  common  stock  something  of  im- 
portance, until  matters  have  issued  in  one  of  the  most  ex- 
tensive moral  and  ecclesiastical  movements  and  revolutions 
of  the  present  age." 

As  an  evidence  of  the  extent  to  which  the  reformatory 
principles  had  been  circulated,  it  may  be  here  added 
that  he  had  just  before  received  a  letter  from  New  Zea- 
land, dated  March  21,  1845,  informing  him  of  the  or- 
ganization of  a  church  there  in  the  town  of  Nelson,  and 
desiring  an  additional  supply  of  his  writings  to  be  for- 
warded. This  letter,  in  its  transit  by  way  of  New  South 
Wales  and  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  to  Great  Britain 
and  thence  to  America,  had  been  carried  about  twentj' 
thousand  miles,  and  was  one  year  and  six  weeks  in 
reaching  its  destination  at  Bethany. 

Mr.  Campbell,  who  had  been  long  desirous  of  revisit- 
ing his  native  land,  was  about  this  time  induced  by  press- 
ing invitations  from  the  churches  in  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland  to  undertake  the  journey.  Arranging  the  time 
of  his  departure  so  as  to  include  the  college  vacation  of 
two  and  a  half  months  in  his  period  of  absence,  he  set 
out  on  the  2d  of  April,  1847,  Professor  Pendleton  sup- 
plying his  place  meanwhile  by  virtue  of  his  appoint- 
ment as  vice-president.  At  Baltimore  he  met  with 
James  Henshall,  who  had  agreed  to  accompany  him. 


ROBERT  OWEN.  543 

and  received  there  certain  donations  for  the  poor  in 
Ireland.  After  speaking  several  times  in  Baltimore,  he 
passed  through  Philadelphia  to  New  York,  where  in 
company  with  D.  S.  Burnet,  he  sojourned  at  the  hospit- 
able abode  of  E.  Parmley.  While  here  he  had  several 
pleasant  interviews  with  Dr.  Giustiniani,  an  eminent 
Roman  Catholic  clergyman,  who  with  a  number  of 
adherents  had  lately  seceded  from  Rome.  He  enjoyed 
also  much  of  the  society  of  James  Buchannan,  late 
British  Consul,  who  happened  to  be  in  the  city,  and 
whom  he  highly  esteemed  for  his  piety  and  devotion  to 
the  cause  of  religious  reformation.  He  was  especially 
gratified,  too,  by  a  call  from  Robert  Owen,  who  with 
the  most  perfect  courtesy  and  kind  feeling  inquired 
after  Mr.  Campbell's  family,  and  particularly  after  his 
father,  for  whom  he  had  a  peculiar  regard.  In  speak- 
ing of  the  interview,  Mr.  Campbell  remarked,  as -he 
had  been  wont  to  do  on  many  occasions,  that  **of  all 
his  opponents  in  debate  the  infidel  Robert  Owen  was 
the  most  candid,  fair  and  gentlemanly  disputant  he  had 
ever  met."  As  this  was  the  last  time  he  ever  saw  Mr. 
Owen,  it  may  be  here  stated  that  the  latter  afterward 
finally  returned  to  England,  and,  as  related  in  a  biog- 
raphical sketch  published  after  his  death,  continued 
to  be  noted  for  his  amiabity,  being  still 

^^  The  same  placid,  happy  being  in  his  old  age,  believing 
and  expecting  whatever  he  wished  ;  always  gentlemanly  and 
courteous  in  his  manners;  always  on  the  most  endearing 
terms  with  his  children,  who  loved  to  make  him,  as  they  said, 
^  the  very  happiest  old  man  in  the  world ;'  always  a  gentle 
bore  in  regard  to  his  dogmas  and  his  expectations ;  always 
palpably  right  in  his  descriptions  of  human  misery ;  always 
thinking  he  had  proved  a  thing  when  he  had  asserted  it  in 
the  force  of  his  own  conviction ;  and  always  meaning  some- 


544        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

thing  more  rational  than  he  had  actually  expressed.  It  was 
said  by  way  of  mockery,  that  *  he  might  live  in  parallelo- 
grams, but  he  argued  in  circles/  but  this  is  too  favorable  a 
description  of  one  who  did  not  argue  at  all,  nor  know  what 
argument  meant.  His  mind  never  fairly  met  any  other, 
though  at  the  close  of  his  life  he  had  a  strange  idea  that  it 
did  by  means  of  spirit-rapping.  He  published  sundry  con- 
versations held  in  that  \vay^  with  Benjamin  Franklin  and 
other  people,  and  in  the  very  same  breath  in  which  he  in- 
sisted on  the  reality  of  these  conversations  he  insisted  that  the 
new-found  power  was  '  all  electricity.'  He  lived  until  his 
eighty-ninth  year,  and  died  in  November,  1857,  **  Newtown, 
in  Wales,  the  place  of  his  birth,  to  which  he  had  gone  on  a 
visit." 

Mr.  Campbell,  after  spending  some  days  in  New 
York,  set  out  with  his  companion,  James  Henshall,  on 
the  4th  of  May  on  board  the  Siddons,  Captain  Cobb,  a 
sailing  vessel,  which  he  preferred  to  a  steamer,  in  order 
that  he  might  enjoy  a  longer  sea  voyage.  He  found  on 
board  a  pleasant  company  of  some  twelve  cabin  passen- 
gers, with  kind  attentions  on  the  part  of  the  captain 
and  very  agreeable  quarters,  where,  with  his  fellow- 
voyager,  he  maintained  regularly  his  morning  and 
evening  devotions  with  special  reference  to  the  success 
of  the  present  mission  in  which  they  were  engaged. 

"  After  an  exchange  of  views  on  the  plan  of  operations,** 
remarks  Mr.  Henshall  in  his  notes  of  the  tour,  "  we  agreed 
to  make  it  a  constant  subject  of  prayer,  and  that  we  commend 
ourselves  daily  to  the  Lord,  praying  him  to  impress  our  own 
hearts  with  the  importance  of  the  work  to  be  done ;  calling 
on  him  for  his  guidance  and  protection,  so  that  in  all  our 
labors  God  may  be  glorified  and  the  saints  comforted  and 
edified  and  poor  sinners  turned  from  the  error  of  their  ways. 
Brother  Campbell  then  laid  the  whole  before  the  throne  of 
grace  in  a  very  impressive  manner,  and  we  felt  the  good  influ- 
ence of  the  sweet  Spirit  of  God.     Oh  that  the  traducers  of 


LABORS  IN  CHESTER,  545 

this  Reformation  and  the  revilers  of  this  good  man  could  have 
felt  what  we  enjoyed  upon  the  broad  face  of  the  mighty 
waters !" 

Mr.  Campbell,  having  been  invited  by  the  captain  to 
preach  on  every  Lord's  day,  was  heard  with  great 
attention.  He  had  also  pleasant  conversations  on  re- 
ligious topics  with  many  of  the  passengers,  especially 
with  a  young  Englishman,  a  Mr.  Thomhill,  who  had 
been  a  great  traveler  and  belonged  to  the  school  of 
Robert  Owen,  whose  views  he  often  attempted  to  sus- 
tain, but  was  soon  confounded  by  Mr.  CampbelFs  argu- 
ments. These  discussions  and  conversations,  often  re- 
newed, and  conducted  always  with  the  utmost  good 
feeling,  were  very  agreeable  to  all,  and  tended  to 
diminish  the  tiresomeness  of  the  voyage,  which  ex- 
tended to  twenty-five  days,  and  was  much  of  the  time 
rough  and  unpleasant.  .Upon  landing  at  Liverpool, 
Mr.  Campbell  was  met  at  the  docks  by  Mr.  J.  Davies 
of  MoUington,  a  worthy  and  zealous  member  of  the 
Church,  with  whom  he  had  had  a  correspondence,  and 
who  had  been  largely  instrumental  in  introducing 
Mr.  Campbell's  writings  into  England.  At  the  custom- 
house he  met  with  Brethren  Woodnorth  and  Tickle  of 
Liverpool,  and  was  then  conveyed  by  Brother  Davies  to 
his  delightful  residence  in  the  valley  of  the  Dee,  seven- 
teen miles  from  the  city,  while  Mr.  Henshall  set  out  to 
visit  his  parents  and  other  relatives  living  not  far  from 
Stockport.  Notice  of  Mr.  Campbell's  arrival  being 
given,  he  spoke  several  times  in  a  public  hall  in  the 
neighboring  city  of  Chester  to  large  audiences,  and 
delivered  two  discourses  in  the  church  building  formerly 
occupied  by  Matthew  Henry  the  commentator,  now  in 
possession  of  the  Unitarians,  who,  although  they  were 
aware  that  Mr.  Campbell  was  opposed  to  their  views, 

-VOL.  II.— 2  K  46  * 


" 


54^         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

kindly  tendered  him  the  use  of  their  house.  Re- 
joined by  Brother  Henshall,  he  went  down  with  him 
and  Brother  Davies  to  Wrexham  in  Wales,  fourteen 
miles  distant,  where  several  meetings  were  held,  and 
where  he  was  received  with  the  utmost  kindness  by  the 
Baptists  and  Disciples.  On  the  7th  and  8th  of  June 
they  visited  Liverpool,  and  delivered  addresses  in  Con- 
cert Hall,  which  had  been  erected  by  the  Owenites  for 
the  promotion  of  infidelity,  but  was  now  used  for  vari- 
ous public  purposes  and  for  the  defence  and  advance- 
ment of  that  Christianity  which  it  had  been  built  to 
overthrow.  Leaving  Mr.  Henshall  to  continue  meet- 
ings in  Liverpool  and  Chester,  he  visited  Shrewsbury, 
an  ancient  walled  town  beautifully  located  on  the  delight- 
ful banks  of  the  Severn,  and  the  birth-place  of  Mrs. 
Bakewell,  where  he  sojourned  with  Mrs.  Cooke,  an 
amiable  Baptist  lady,  sister  of  Mr.  Hawley  of  Detroit. 
Here  he  spoke  three  times,  and  formed  an  agreeable 
acquaintance  with  some  of  the  Plymouth  brethren,  of 
whom  he  formed  a  high  opinion  as  a  spiritually-minded 
and  intelligent' people.  From  thence  he  went  to  Not- 
tingham, where  he  sojourned  with  the  devoted  James 
Wallis,  and  spoke  to  crowded  audiences  in  the  Me- 
chanics* Institute,  the  largest  hall  in  the  city.  Here  he 
was  again  succeeded  by  Mr.  Henshall,  and  some  twenty 
persons  in  all  were  added  to  the  church. 

Having  visited  Eaton  Hall,  the  magnificent  palace 
of  the  Marquis  of  Westminster,  four  miles  from  Chester, 
he  concluded,  before  leaving  Nottingham,  to  see  New- 
stead  Abbey,  to  which,  with  a  pleasant  company  of 
Disciples,  he  drove  through  Sherwood  Forest,  the  scene 
of  many  of  the  famed  exploits  of  Robin  Hood.  On 
the  following  day,  22d  of  June,  he  went  to  Leicester, 
accompanied  by  his  wife's  cousin,  Henrietta  Bakewell, 


LABORS  IN  LONDON,  547 

of  Stafford.  Here  he  spoke  twice  to  large  audiences, 
and  visited  the  famous  ancient  abbey  to  which  Wolsey 
retired  to  die  in  1530.  Here  he  was  particularly  inter- 
ested in  the  fact  that  Leicester  was  the  city  of  the 
illustrious  missionary  Carey,  and  of  Robert  Hall,  who 
after  Dr.  Carey's  departure  occupied  his  pulpit  for  eigh- 
teen years.  Here  also  he  was  shown  the  guard-house, 
yet  standing  on  the  wall,  where  John  Bunyan  kept  guard 
while  a  soldier  in  the  wars  of  Cromwell.  From  thence 
he  passed  to  London,  a  hundred  miles  distant,  and  was 
met  at  the  dep6t  by  Brethren  Wallis  and  Davies,  who  had 
preceded  him,  and  by  a  zealous  and  intelligent  Disciple, 
a  Sister  Whalley,  who  in  London  had  charge  of  the 
household  of  the  Duke  of  Norfolk,  and  by  whom  he 
was  conveyed  to  Surrey  street,  on  the  Strand,  to  a  suite 
of  rooms  prepared  for  him.  In  London  he  delivered 
addresses  at  the  Disciples'  meeting-house  in  Elstree 
street,  also  in  the  Alvetian  Rooms  near  the  University, 
and  in  the  Mechanics'  Institute,  as  well  as  in  a  meeting- 
house tendered  by  the  Unitarians,  and  in  another  por- 
tion of  the  city  in  a  house  of  the  General  Baptists.  He 
also  delivered  a  discourse  in  the  pulpit  of  the  eminent 
Dr.  Cox,  who  gave  Mr.  Campbell  a  very  kind  invita- 
tion to  preach  for  him,  and  was  much  pleased  with  his 
discourse  upon  the  m3'stery  of  godliness  (i  Tim.  iii.  16), 
seeming  to  be  entirely  disabused  of  some  unfavorable 
impressions  he  had  received  from  his  Baptist  friends  on 
a  former  tour  in  the  United  States  with  Dr.  Hobey . 
On  Friday  evening,  9th  of  July,  he  addressed  the  skep- 
tics in  their  hall  of  debate  on  the  question,  *'  Has  God 
ever  spoken  to  man  ?"  for  which  he  afterward  received 
a  vote  of  thanks.  On  Lord's  day,  the  nth,  the  church 
met  in  the  Alvetian  Rooms,  when  both  he  and  Mr, 
Henshall   addressed   highly-interested   audiences,   Mr. 


54^    MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

Campbell  delivering  his  last  discourse  in  London  in 
the  evening.  In  this  vast  city  of  three  millions  there 
was  but  a  small,  inefficient  church  of  about  seventj' 
members,  and  as  little  effort  had  been  made  to  direct 
public  attention  to  Mr.  Campbell's  brief  visit,  the  at- 
tendance at  his  meetings  had  not  at  any  time  been 
very  large. 

Having  received  highly  commendatory  letters  of  in- 
troduction from  Henry  Clay  *  and  others,  and  being 
highly  favored  by  the  American  Minister,  Mr.  Bancroft, 
and  other  persons  of  influence,  he  enjoyed  unusual 
facilities,  and  everything  he  wished  to  see  was  opened 
to  him  in  the  city  and  in  the  country.  He  accordingly 
attended  the  meetings  of  Parliament,  where  he  had  the 
pleasure  of  hearing  Lord  Brougham  and  the  Duke  of 


*  The  following  is  Mr.  Clay's  letter,  which  he  kindly  forwarded  to  Mr. 
Campbell  when  he  learned  that  he  was  going  abroad.  Like  many  others,  he 
was  under  the  impression  that  Mr.  Campbell  was  a  doctor  of  divinity',  and 
misconceived  his  true  position  also  in  other  respects  : 

"  The  Rev.  Dr.  A.  Campbell,  the  bearer  hereof,  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  residing  in  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia,  being  about 
to  make  a  voyage  to  Europe  and  to  travel  particularly  in  Great  Britain,  Ire- 
land and  France,  I  take  great  satisfaction  in  strongly  recommending  him  to 
the  kind  offices  and  friendly  reception  and  treatment  of  all  persons  with 
whom  he  may  meet  and  wherever  he  may  go.  Dr.  Campbell  is  among  the 
most  eminent  citizens  of  the  United  States,  distinguished  for  his  great  learn- 
ing and  ability,  for  his  successful  devotion  to  the  education  of  youth,  for  his 
piety  and  as  the  head  and  founder  of  one  of  the  most  important  and  respect- 
able religious  communities  in  the  United  States.  Nor  have  his  great  talents 
been  exclusively  confined  to  the  religious  and  literary  walks  in  which  he  has 
principally  moved ;  he  was  a  distinguished  member,  about  t^xnty  years 
ago,  of  the  convention  called  in  the  State  of  Virginia  to  remodel  its  civil 
constitution,  in  which,  besides  other  eminent  men,  were  ex-Presidents  Madison 
and  Monroe,  and  John  Marshall,  the  late  Chief- Justice  of  the  United  States. 

"  Dr.  Campbell,  whom  I  have  the  honor  to  regard  personally  as  my  friend, 
carries  with  him  my  wishes  and  my  prayers  for  his  health  and  happiness 
whilst  abroad,  and  for  his  safe  return  to  his  country,  which  justly  appreciates 
him  so  highly.  '       H.  Clay. 

"Ashland,  Kentucky,  May,  1847." 


VISIT  TO  PARIS,  549 

Wellington  deliver  speeches.  He  saw,  also,  the  prin- 
cipal public  buildings  and  places  of  celebrity  in  and 
about  London,  as  he  did  also  in  other  parts  of  the  king- 
dom, and  gave  particular  accounts  of  them  and  of  his 
entire  tour  in  his  "  Letters  from  Europe,"  published  in 
the  *' Harbinger"  and  addressed  to  his  daughter  Cla- 
rinda,  the  only  one  remaining  of  his  first  family,  and 
who  had  herself,  the  preceding  year,  visited  England  in 
company  with  Prof.  W.  K.  Pendleton.  It  would  be  un- 
necessary, therefore,  if  space  even  permitted,  to  repeat 
familiar  descriptions  of  things  which  were  not  particu- 
larly related  to  his  mission,  and  of  which  he  himself 
became  weary,  since  at  the  close  of  his  visit  to  London 
he  says  to  his  daughter, 

"Meantime  I  sigh  for  repose,  and  often  think  of  the  hills 
around  Bethany  and  of  the  enviable  lot  of  those  I  left  behind 
me,  compared  to  that  of  the  millions  through  which  I  am 
passing  in  this  Old  World  of  palaces  and  hovels,  of  princes 
and  beggars,  of  exuberant  wealth  and  cheerless  poverty. 
May  the  Lord  in  his  mercy  watch  over  your  native  country, 
and  long  preserve  it  from  the  vices  and  follies  which  have  en- 
tailed on  France,  on  England  and  on  Europe  an  inheritance 
of  miseries  and  misfortunes  from  which  the  wisdom  of  poli- 
ticians and  the  benevolence  of  Christians  cannot  rescue  them 
for  generations  to  come  !" 

By  way  of  a  little  recreation  after  his  labors  in  Lon- 
don, he  resolved  on  a  flying  trip  to  the  metropolis  of 
France.  During  his  hasty  visit,  he  was  impressed  with 
the  inferiority  of  the  agriculture  and  domestic  animals 
of  France  compared  with  those  of  England.  He  was 
astonished,  however,  with  the  magnificence  of  Paris 
and  with  the  superiority  of  its  public  gardens  and  walks 
to  those  of  London.  He  visited  the  Louvre,  the  Tuil- 
eries  and  other  places  of  interest,  and  was  amazed  at 
the  taste  and  beauty  everywhere  displayed.     He  rode 


550         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

along  the  Seine  and  admired  its  twenty-one  elegant 
bridges.  He  also  visited  some  of  the  churches,  among 
which  he  noted  particularly  the  splendid  architecture 
and  internal  decorations  of  La  Madeleine^  which  he 
briefly  describes,  and  remarks,  in  passing  to  matters 
more  consonant  with  his  trains  of  thought : 

*'  While  gazing  on  all  the  grandeur  above  and  around  me, 
I  saw  the  priest  standing  before  the  altar  with  his  back  to 
half  a  dozen  devotees  kneeling  in  different  parts  of  the  church, 
performing  various  genuflections  and  grimaces.  A  large 
cross  was  inwrought  on  his  coat,  after  the  manner  of  Indian 
beads,  of  various  colors,  so  that  while  his  back  was  to  the 
people,  a  gorgeous  cross  from  head  to  heel  was  visible. 
What  a  splendid  device !  How  easy  to  carry  such  a  rich  and 
beautiful  cross,  kneeling  on  a  velvet  cushion  under  a  golden 
canopy,  with  a  few  august  worshipers  in  his  rear!  What  an 
ingenious  commentary  upon  the  words,  *  Take  up  your  cross 
and  follow  me !'  I  turned  away  from  this  disgusting  mum- 
mery and  left  the  cathedral." 

While  in  France  he  was  greatly  annoyed  by  the  pass- 
port system,  which  marked  so  striking  a  contrast  be- 
tween the  freedom  enjoyed  by  strangers  there,  com- 
pared with  what  he  had  found  in  England  and  enjoyed 
in  the  United  States,  which,  he  remarks,  had  risen  a 
hundred  per  cent,  in  his  estimation  above  anj^  country 
he  had  seen.  Upon  his  return  to  England  he  visited 
Banbury,  where  he  delivered  three  discourses,  and 
made  a  brief  call  at  Cambridge  and  Oxford,  where  it 
was  now  the  period  of  vacation.  He  also  spoke  twice 
in  Manchester  and  thence  repaired  to  Wigan,  where  he 
delivered  one  discourse  and  enjoyed  the  hospitalities  of 
the  zealous  and  intelligent  Brother  Coop.  He  visited 
also  Huddersfield  and  the  old  city  of  York,  passing  on 
to  Sunderland,  where  he  was  kindly  received,  sojourn- 
ing with  a  Brother  Douglass,  a  ship-owner,  who  had 


LABORS  IN  EDINBURGH,  55 1 

given  the  name  of  '*  Alexander  Campbell"  to  one  of 
his  vessels,  and  was  then  building  another  to  be  called 
*'Clarinda."  Here  he  spoke  three  times,  and  Mr. 
Henshall  twice,  having  a  very  fine  hearing  and  pro- 
ducing a  very  favorable  impression.  From  thence  he 
went  to  Newcastle,  where  he  spoke  thrice  to  immense 
audiences,  and  then  proceeded  to  Berwick-upon-Tweed 
on  his  way  to  Scotland,  which  he  greatly  desired  to  re- 
visit, as  well  from  the  ties  of  ancient  lineage  as  from 
his  cherished  remembrance  of  his  former  checkered 
experience  in  that  portion  of  the  island,  which,  by  a 
singular  coincidence,  he  entered  on  the  fifth  day  of 
August,  the  very  same  day  on  which,  thirty-eight  years 
before,  he  had  embarked  from  it  for  the  United  States. 

Upon  his  arrival  at  Edinburgh  he  was  kindly  received 
by  the  brethren,  many  of  whom  had  come  to  meet  him 
from  various  parts  of  Scotland,  and  among  whom  he 
found  also  John  Tener,  of  Ireland.  Next  day  being" 
Lord's  day,  he  spoke  to  the  church  in  Nickleson  street, 
and  in  the  evening  at  the  Waterloo  Rooms.  He  had 
declined  making  any  appointment  for  the  afternoon,  in 
order  to  visit  James  Haldane's  church,  having  promised 
himself,  as  he  said,  much  pleasure  from  seeing  and 
hearing  this  distinguished  and  excellent  man.  He 
found,  however,  that  the  churches  established  by  the 
Haldanes  were  greatly  reduced,  and  upon  entering 
what  was  formerly  the  *' Great  Tabernacle,"  found  it 
also  so  contracted  in  its  dimensions  as  to  seat  only  some 
seven  or  eight  hundred,  and  only  partially  filled  with 
an  audience  of  some  two  hundred  persons.  Disap- 
pointed in  not  seeing  James  Haldane,  who  was  absent 
some  twenty  miles  in  the  country,  he  listened  to  a  dis- 
course by  a  Mr.  McKenzie,  a  missionary  from  the 
Highlands,  which,  as  he  remarked,  seemed  to  him  as 


55  2        MEMOIRS    OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

quaint,  formal  and  familiar  as  the  doctrinal  disquisitions 
to  which  he  had  been  accustomed  to  listen  forty  years 
before.  Next  morning  he  and  Mr.  Henshall  break- 
fasted, by  invitation,  with  John  Tener,  at  the  Nelson 
Monument  on  Calton  Hill,  and  enjoyed  a  magnificent 
view  of  Arthur's  Seat  and  of  the  New  Cit}',  which 
George  IV.,  from  the  same  spot,  called  the  '*  City  of 
Palaces."  Subsequently,  he  visited  the  Castle  and 
some  other  places  as  time  permitted,  being  considerably 
interested  in  seeing  the  house  of  the  celebrated  John 
Knox  and  the  room  in  which  Spurzheim  had  taught 
phrenology. 

Appointments  having  been  made  at  the  Waterloo 
Rooms  for  lectures  during  the  week,  a  considerable  in- 
terest was  beginning  to  be  created  when  unlooked-for 
occurrences  gave  a  new  turn  to  affairs.  It  appears  that 
prior  to  Mr.  Campbell's  arrival  considerable  excitement 
existed  amongst  some  of  the  Congregational  churches 
in  Edinburgh  and  its  vicinity  in  reference  to  his  relig- 
ious views.  Two  influential  male  members  had  recent- 
ly left  the  Morrisonian  church  at  Leith,  near  Edinburgh, 
under  the  care  of  the  Rev.  S.  M.  Kennedy,  and  united 
with  the  Disciples  in  the  city.  Another  church  in  the 
city,  under  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kirk,  as  well  as  some  of  the 
preachers  of  the  denomination,  were  at  this  time  dis- 
turbed upon  the  subject  of  Reformation.  As  few  ac- 
quainted with  Mr.  Campbell's  previous  history  and 
ability  as  a  disputant  cared  to  engage  with  him  in  an 
open  discussion  of  his  religious  views,  it  seems  to  have 
been  thought  advisable  by  his  prejudiced  opponents  to 
find  some  ground  upon  which  public  odium  could  be 
excited  against  him  and  the  people  be  kept  from  hearing 
him.  As  Mr.  Campbell  was  known  to  be  from  Virginia, 
and  the  anti-slavery  excitement  at  this  time  ran  high  in 


PERSECUTIONS,  553 

Scotland,  nothing  seemed  to  be  so  well  suited  to  the 
purpose  as  the  slavery  question,  of  which  the  managers 
in  the  affair  at  once  availed  themselves,  and  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Kennedy,  with  a  Rev.  James  Robertson  and  a  Mr. 
Hunter,  were  soon  deputed  by  the  **  Scotch  Anti-slavery 
Society  "  to  ascertain  Mr.  Campbell's  opinions  upon  the 
subject.  This  committee  accordingly  visited  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, and,  without  informing  him  of  their  character  or 
their  errand,  sought,  as  it  were,  to  take  him  off  his 
guard  and  to  obtain  from  him  some  expression  of  senti- 
ment which  they  could  employ  against  him.  Regard- 
ing them  merely  as  friendly  visitors,  Mr.  Campbell 
made  no  concealment  of  his  disapproval  of  the  course 
pursued  by  the  abolitionists  in  Britain  and  America  as 
not  tending  to  the  removal  of  the  institution,  adding 
that  the  people  in  Britain  did  not  understand  the  subject 
as  well  as  the  Americans,  and  that  their  interference 
could  be  attended  by  no  beneficial  results.  The  gentle- 
men then,  after  bidding  him  an  apparently  friendly 
adieu,  departed,  and  in  a  few  hours  had  posted,  in  the 
public  places  of  Edinburgh,  placards  having  printed 
upon  them,  in  immense  capitals,  **Citizens  of  Edinburgh 
— Beware  !  beware  1  The  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell 
of  Virginia,  United  States  of  America,  has  been  a 
slaveholder  himself  and  is  still  a  defender  of  man- 
stealers  I"  At  his  next  meeting,  as  there  was  a  con- 
siderable excitement  and  a  large  audience  in  attendance, 
Mr.  Campbell,  before  proceeding  with  his  address,  ad- 
verted to  the  placard,  informing  the  people  that  it  was 
grossly  false  and  calumnious,  and  that  he  would  pre- 
sume so  far  upon  their  candor  as  to  proceed  with  his 
lecture  for  the  evening,  promising  to  give,  on  Friday 
evening,  a  full  view  of  his  position  on  the  subject  of 
American  slavery.     This  he  accordingly  did  at  con- 


554        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL,^ 

siderable  length  and  amidst  much  noise  and  tumult,  pro- 
moted by  Mr.  Robertson,  Kennedy  and  others  who 
were  present.  He  also  read  a  letter  which  he  had  re- 
ceived from  Mr.  Robertson,  challenging  him  to  debate 
his  position  in  regard  to  sla^iery,  and  his  reply,  inform- 
ing Mr.  Robertson  that  his  published  appointments  left 
him  little  or  no  time  for  an  oral  debate,  but  that  he 
would  engage,  if  desired,  in  a  written  discussion  in  de- 
fence of  his  position. 

Leaving  Edinburgh  next  morning,  Saturday,  14th 
of  August,  for  the  city  of  Aberdeen  by  steamer,  he  en- 
joyed a  pleasant  voyage  along  the  northern  coast  of 
Scotland,  and  was  kindly  received  upon  his  arrival  by 
Brother  Dunn,  of  the  Baptist  church.  Being  comfort- 
ably lodged  in  this  kind  and  hospitable  family,  he  was 
much  refreshed,  and  spoke  thrice  on  the  following  day, 
and  after  visiting  and  preaching  at  Banff,  and  taking 
several  baths  in  the  Northern  Sea,  returned  to  Aber- 
deen much  invigorated.  Here  he  visited  the  university 
premises,  and  the  churchyard  where  the  remains  of  Pro- 
fessor George  Campbell  and  Doctor  Beattie  repose, 
for  whose  memory  he  entertained  the  highest  regard. 
Leaving  Aberdeen  on  the  19th,  he  visited  Montrose, 
where  he  held  one  meeting,  and  departed  next  morning 
for  Dundee.  Finding  himself  pursued  or  anticipated 
at  all  his  appointments  by  the  placards  forwarded  from 
Edinburgh,  and  having  heard  something  unfavorable  to 
the  character  of  Mr.  Robertson,  he  addressed  from  Dun- 
dee a  letter  to  the  editor  of  the  **  Edinburgh  Journal," 
in  which  he  said  that  he  would  consent  to  devote  the  time 
from  the  24th  to  the  27th  of  September  to  an  oral  discus- 
sion on  his  position  in  regard  to  American  slavery  with 
any  one  whom  the  Anti-slavery  Society  might  appoint, 
or  engage  in  a  written  discussion  for  which  any  time  or 


LABORS  IN  PAISLBT.  555 

place  could  be  made  acceptable.  "I  will  in  either 
way,"  said  he,  '*  meet  any  gentleman  whom  you  may 
select— even  Mr.  Robertson  himself — provided  only 
that  he  be  not  that  Reverend  yames  Robertson  who 
was  publicly  censured  and  excluded  from  the  Baptist 
Church  for  violating  the  fifth  commandment  in  refer- 
ence to  his  mother,  of  which  I  have*heard  something  in 
Dundee.'*  After  leaving  Dundee  he  spoke  at  Cupar, 
and  passed  thence  to  the  village  of  Auchtermuchty, 
where  at  "  Bethany  Cottage,"  the  residence  of  an  ami- 
able Christian  family  by  the  name  of  Dron,  he  was  re- 
ceived with  great  kindness,  and  delivered  one  discourse. 
From  thence,  passing  by  Loch  Leven,  he  had  a  pleas- 
ant meeting  at  Dumfermline,  and  on  the  following  day 
at  Falchor,  from  whence  he  went  on  to  Glasgow,  and 
found  himself  quite  at  home  in  the  pleasant  abode  of 
Brother  Alexander  Paton. 

Here  he  commenced  his  course  of  lectures  in  a  capa- 
cious Presbyterian  meeting-house  on  the  27th  of  Au- 
gust,  and  had  a  large  audience,  which  was  at  first  some- 
what tumultuous,  but  soon  became  quiet  and  attentive. 
Next  day  he  visited  Paisley,  where  he  had  a  very 
agreeable  meeting  with  the  brethren,  and  where  he 
was  introduced  to  a  wealthy  disciple,  Ivie  Campbell, 
of  Dalzig,  in  Ayrshire,  who  had  been  educated  in  the 
University  of  Glasgow  for  a  Presbyterian  minister,  and 
had  been  classmate,  friend  and  companion  of  Pollock, 
author  of  '*The  Course  of  Time."  Though  wholly 
Presbyterian  in  education  and  feeling,  he  possessed  so 
much  independence  of  mind  and  candor  that  upon 
reading  the  Rice  Debate  he  became  fully  satisfied  of 
the  truth  of  Mr.  Campbell's  positions,  renounced  Pres- 
byterianism  and  was  immersed  into  the  primitive  faith. 
After  preaching  at  Kilmarnock,  Mr.  Campbell  went  to 


55^         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

the  town  of  Ayr,  where  he  contemplated  the  memorials 
of  Burns,  and  then  visited  Irvine  where  he  dined  with 
a  zealous  Brother  Rollo,  uncle  of  Lord  Rollo,  by  whom 
he  was  conducted  to  the  apartment  in  which  the  poet 
Montgomery  was  born.  Returning  thence  to  Glasgow, 
he  continued  his  lectures. 

On  the  night  of  Saturday,  4th  of  September,  he  was 
affected  with  a  peculiar  sadness  for  which  he  was  un- 
able to  account,  and  which  was  so  entirely  foreign 
to  his  nature  that  he  could  not  avoid  mentioning  it  next 
morning  at  breakfast.  He  felt  as  if  some  great  calamity 
was  impending,  and  he  found  it  impossible  to  divert  his 
mind  from  thoughts  of  home,  which  seemed  to  press 
upon  him  as  never  before.  By  the  next  morning,  how- 
ever, he  had  entirely  regained  his  usual  serenity  and 
cheerfulness.  It  is  a  singular  circumstance  that  just 
about  the  time  he  experienced  this  unaccountable  de- 
pression a  sad  affair  was  indeed  occurring  at  his  home 
across  the  Atlantic.  On  that  very  Saturday,  his  second 
and  most  beloved  son  Wickliffe,  then  in  his  eleventh 
year,  was  drowned.  He  had,  in  company  with  two 
other  little  boys,  repaired  to  the  creek  to  bathe,  in  a 
deep  pool  below  the  apron  of  a  mill-dam,  above  which 
there  was  but  little  water,  as  the  creek  was  low.  After 
bathing,  the  boys  were  amusing  themselves  by  diving 
under  a  small  boat  and  coming  up  on  the  other  side  of 
it.  This  they  had  frequently  done  with  safety  on  for- 
mer occasions,  but  at  this  time  Wickliffe  failed  to  ap- 
pear after  his  companions  had  come  up  safely  on  the 
other  side.  The  alarm  was  immediately  given,  but 
more  than  half  an  hour  elapsed  before  he  was  dis- 
covered in  the  water  under  the  apron  of  the  mill-dam. 
The  most  earnest  and  persevering  efforts  at  resuscita- 
tion proved  under  the  circumstances  entirely  fruitless. 


OCCURRENCES  IN  GLASGOW.  SSI 

This  event  plunged  the  household  into  the  deepest 
affliction,  for  he  was  a  boy  of  great  promise  and  much 
beloved.  Especially  did  it  fall  with  peculiar  force  in 
Mr.  Campbell's  absence  upon  the  afflicted  mother,  who 
now  experienced  her  first  great  sorrow,  under  which  her 
constitutional  tendency  to  melancholy  was  at  once  de- 
veloped in  all  its  force,  so  that  neither  the  hopes  and 
consolations  of  religion  nor  the  Christian  sympathies 
of  Thomas -Campbell  and  other  cherished  friends  could 
soothe  her  grief. 

On  the  morning  of  Monday,  the  6th  of  September, 
Mr.  Campbell,  accompanied  by  a  few  friends,  directed 
his  steps  to  the  cemetery  at  Glasgow,  and,  as  he  says, 
spent  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  happy  forenoons 
he  had  enjoyed  in  Scotland,  *'in  conversing  with  the 
living  and  yet  communing  with  the  dead."  Passing 
over  the  "Bridge  of  Sighs*'  beyond  the  old  cathedral, 
where  the  waters  of  Molindinar  Burn  dash  violently 
over  an  artificial  cascade  into  a  deep  ravine,  he  reached 
the  city  of  the  dead,  where  amidst  elegant  monuments 
and  beautiful  shrubbery  lay  the  crumbling  memorials 
of  five-and-twenty  generations,  and  where,  nearly  forty 
years  before,  he  had  occasionally  rambled  and  spent 
many  a  moonlight  hour  in  solitary  musings.  In  the 
afternoon  of  this  day,  while"  he  was  expecting  to  con- 
tinue his  lectures  in  the  evening  and  to  complete  his 
course  in  time  to  meet  his  appointments  in  Ireland,  he 
was  presented  with  a  warrant  from  the  sheriff  of  Lanark 
to  prevent  him  from  leaving  Scotland. 

This  was  done  at  the  instance  of  Rev.  James  Robert- 
son, who  had  received  the  thanks  of  the  '*  Anti-slavery 
Society"  for  placarding  and  opposing  Mr.  Campbell, 
and  who,  having  found  his  previous  measures  unavail- 
ing to  prevent  the  people  from  hearing  him,  and  having 

47  • 


55^  MEMOmS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBEJLI., 

become  still  further  exasperated  by  Mr.  Campbell's 
allusion  to  him  in  his  letter  from  Dundee,  had  based 
upon  the  latter  a  suit  for  damages,  the  amount  of  which 
he  placed  at  five  thousand  pounds.  Representing  that 
Mr.  Campbell  was  about  to  leave  the  country,  he  had 
now  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  warrant  in  meditationc 
fug(B^  rarely  used  and  designed  to  prevent  the  escape  of" 
debtors.  Mr.  Campbell's  counsel  demurred  to  the  war- 
rant, and  the  case  was  heard  before  one  of  the  sheriffs, 
who  with  some  distrust  decided  that  it  was  legal.  The 
case  was  then  appealed  to  the  high  sheriff,  who  was 
no  other  than  Archibald  Alison  the  historian,  who  ad- 
judged the  warrant  legal,  but  reduced  the  amount 
specified  in  it  of  five  thousand  pounds  to  the  compara- 
tively paltry  sum  of  two  hundred  pounds.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell's counsel  then  appealed  to  the  Superior  Court  of 
Scotland,  to  the  lord  ordinary,  who  happened  then  to  be 
Lord  Murray. 

"Meantime,"  says  Mr.  Campbell  in  his  account  of  the 
matter,  '^  there  must  intervene  no  less  than  ten  days  before 
the  case  can  be  tried  before  Lord  Murray.  And  now  the 
question  with  me  was.  Shall  I  give  security  or  go  to  prison? 
Security  was  kindly  offered  me,  but  that  relieved  me  not  as 
respects  my  duty  to  the  Lord,  his  cause  and  people.  I  felt 
myself  persecuted  for  righteousness*  sake,  and  I  could  not  find 
in  my  heart  to  buy  myself  off  from  imprisonment  by  tender- 
ing the  required  security.  I  thought  it  might  be  of  great 
value  to  the  cause  of  my  Master  if  I  should  give  myself  into 
the  hands  of  my  persecutors,  and  thus  give  them  an  oppor- 
tunity of  showing  their  love  of  liberty,  of  truth  and  right- 
eousness by  the  treatment  of  myself  in  the  relations  I  sustain 
to  mankind  as  a  Christian  and  a  Christian  teacher — an  advo- 
cate of  the  apostles'  doctrine  in  Scotland — in  her  capital  cities; 
I  therefore  placed  myself  in  the  hands  of  these  superlative 
philanthropists,  the  Anti-slavery  Society  of  the  whole  king- 


CONFINEMENT  IN  PRISON.  559 

dom.  I  felt  the  idea  of  imprisonment  in  all  its  horrors — of 
being  immured  in  a  cell  or  cold  dark  dungeon  for  an  indefi- 
nite period ;  I  thought  of  my  appointments  in  Ireland,  and 
of  all  that  might  be  lost  by  not  fulfilling  them ;  I  thought  too 
of  the  dangers  to  my  health,  greatly  impaired  by  one  hundred 
days*  incessant  talking.  But,  casting  myself  on  the  Lord,  I 
said,  to  the  astonishment  of  the  friends  around  me,  '  I  believe 
that  in  all  this  I  am  persecuted  for  the  truth's  sake.  I  stand 
for  the  Bible  doctrine  in  faith,  in  piety  and  morality,  and  I 
am  resolved  to  give  no  security.     I  will  rather  go  to  prison.* 

'*  Mr.  Robertson's  counsel,  fearing  the  consequences,  said 
if  I  would  pledge  my  word  that  I  would  be  back  from  Ire- 
land within  the  time,  he  would  take  my  word  for  it.  Thank- 
ing the  gentleman  for  his  kindness,  I  said,  ^  Sir,  I  shall  still 
be  a  prisoner  and  obliged  to  return  ;  I  cannot  consent  to  return 
on  the  warrant  issued.  I  will  go  to  Ireland,  sir,  with  your 
permission  and  without  promise  to  return.'  He  said  he  could 
not  grant  that.  '  Then,'  said  I, '  your  pleasure  be  done.'  He 
w^alked  into  another  room.  Mr.  Robertson  and  the  sheriff 
followed  him.  The  sheriff  asked  Mr.  Robertson  what  he 
should  do.  Mr.  Robertson  told  him  to  inquire  of  Mr.  Jame- 
son, his  counsel.  Mr.  Jameson  sent  the  sheriff  to  Mr.  Robert- 
son for  his  mandate,  refusing  to  give  any.  Mr.  Robertson 
said,  '  Take  him  to  jaiV — and  to  jail  I  went." 

Messrs.  Henshall,  Paton  and  Stalker  accompanied 
Mr.  Campbell  to  the  prison,  which  they  found  to  be 
built  of  stone.  He  was  confined  in  a  small  room,  where 
there  was  little  light  and  no  comforts  save  a  stool  and  a 
small  table,  with  a  piece  of  carpet,  two  feet  by  four,  on 
the  cold  stone  floor. 

The  brethren  in  Glasgow  strongly  disapproved  of 
Mr.  Campbell's  course  in  positively  refusing  their  offers 
of  security,*  and  subjecting  himself,  as  they  thought, 
unnecessarily  to  confinement.  They  urged  him  to  ac- 
cept their  offers  of  bail,  arguing  that  the  object  of  the 
law  was  merely  to  secure  the  presence  of  the  defend- 


560        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

ant.  He  was  a  foreigner  and  about  to  leave  the  country, 
and  the  object  of  the  court  was  to  secure  his  presence 
to  answer  to  the  decision  of  the  suit.  This  would  have 
been  equally  well  attained  by  giving  bail  for  his  ap- 
pearance, as  the  law  provided.  They  furthermore 
urged  that  they  did  not  think  it  was  the  wish  of  the 
prosecutor  to  imprison,  but  if  it  was,  it  was  wrong  to 
afford  him  that  gratification  when  it  could  have  been 
avoided.  Nor  did  they  fail  to  suggest  that  much  good 
might  be  lost  by  his  failure  to  fill  the  appointments  fall- 
ing due.  Disposed  as  Mr.  Campbell  vs\is  ordinarily  to 
weigh  with  care  the  counsels  of  his  friends,  and  often 
to  modify  by  them  his  own  conclusions,  on  the  present 
occasion  their  arguments  and  entreaties  produced  no 
effect.  Knowing  that  he  had  done  nothing  to  merit 
such  treatment,  that  he  had  never  been  an  apologist  for 
American  slavery  or  a  defender  of  man-stealers,  as 
falsely  and  calumniously  represented  in  the  placards, 
but  that  on  the  contrary  he  had  used  all  his  influence 
and  opportunities  for  the  emancipation  of  slaves,  he 
felt  that  he  was  persecuted,  if  not  for  his  religious  views 
in  general,  at  least  certainly  because,  in  opposition  to 
the  Scotch  Anti-slavery  Society,  he  maintained  that  the 
mere  relation  of  piaster  and  servant  was  not  in  itself 
sinful,  but  was  sanctioned  by  the  Bible.  Looking  back 
over  the  whole  series  of  indignities  to  which  he  had 
been  subjected,  he  could  not  but  regard  the  whole  as 
simply  a  persecution  for  the  truth's  sake.  Such,  in- 
deed, had  been  the  character  of  Mr.  Robertson's  pro- 
ceedings that  the  more  intelligent  of  his  own  party 
denounced  the  whole  affair  as  a  matter  of  persecution. 
Thus  the  editor  of  the  "Christian  Record,"  published 
in  Jersey,  said  in  regard  to  it : 

"  We  regret  exceedingly  the  issue  of  this  matter.     What- 


WILLINGNESS   TO  SUFFER.  561 

ever  be  Mr.  CampbelFs  opinions  in  regard  to  slavery — and  if 
lie  entertains  the  views  attributed  to  him,  we  hold  them  in 
abhorrence — we  cannot  but  regard  him  as  a  persecuted  man. 
We  know  not  the  nature  of  the  libel  with  which  he  is  charged, 
but  this  we  know — that  his  opponents  have  been  unscrupu- 
lous in  their  language  and  most  unrelenting  in  their  persecu- 
tion. Following  Mr.  Campbell  from  city  to  city,  from  town 
to  town,  they  have  hunted  him  more  like  a  wild  beast  than  a 
human  being,  much  less  a  gentleman  of  education  and  a 
minister  of  the  gospel.  While  we  yield  to  no  man  in  the 
intensity  of  our  hatred  to  slavery  in  all  its  forms,  we  question 
very  much  if  the  procedure  of  the  secretary  of  the  'Anti- 
slavery  Society*  in  Edinburgh  will  raise  his  character  in  the 
estimation  of  the  thinking  portion  of  mankind,  or  at  all  pro- 
mote the  object  of  the  excellent  society  with  which  he  is 
identified.  We  would  strongly  recommend  him  to  withdraw 
his  action  and  throw  himself  upon  the  moral  sense  of  the 
community.  It  is  possible  by  our  imprudence  or  the  exhibi- 
tion of  a  persecuting  or  vindictive  spirit  to  '  build  again  the 
things  we  are  endeavoring  to  destroy.'  Let  us  not  fail  to 
remember  that  the  '  wrath  of  man  worketh  not  the  righteous- 
ness of  God.' " 

Feeling  accordingly  that  he  was  persecuted  for  right- 
eousness' sake,  Mr.  Campbell  could  not  for  a  moment 
think  of  evading  in  any  respect  the  sufferings  which  his 
enemies  sought  to  inflict.  In  the  days  of  his  youth, 
when  consecrating  himself  to  the  service  of  God,  it  had 
been  to  him  one  of  the  strongest  evidences  of  a  divine 
call  that  there  had  been  given 'to  him  a  desire  **to 
suffer  hardships  and  reproach  "  for  the  sake  of  the  truth. 
Of  misrepresentations  and  slanders,  indeed,  he  had 
already  had  a  full  share,  and,  like  Whitefield,  he  seems 
to^  have  thought  that  it  was  to  be  his  lot  to  suffer  still 
severer  trials. 

"  My  work,"  said  Whitefield  to  one  of  his  American  coad- 
jutors, "  is  scarce  begun.    My  trials  are  yet  to  come.   What 
VOL.  II. — 2  L 


562         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

is  a  little  scourge  of  the  tongue?  What  is  a  thrusting  out  of 
the  synagogues?  The  time  of  temptation  will  be  when  we 
are  thrust  into  an  inner  prison  and  feel  the  iron  entering  even 
into  our  souls.  Then,  perhaps,  even  God's  people  will  be 
permitted  to  forsake  us  for  a  while,  and  none  but  the  Lord 
Jesus  to  stand  by  us." 

Mr.  Campbell,  however,  was  not  destined  to  realize 
the  latter  part  of  Whitefield's  exultant  anticipation. 
Far  from  forsaking  him  in  the  hour  of  suffering,  the 
Disciples  in  Scotland  vied  with  each  other  in  their  un- 
ceasing efforts  to  minister  to  his  comfort.  The  Sisters 
Paton,  Gilmour,  Dron  and  others  in  Glasgow  waited  on 
him  daily  with  everything  needful.  A  Sister  Davis, 
who  had  heard  him  preach  at  Paisley,  and  had  then 
resolved  to  emigrate  to  America  and  cast  in  her  lot  with 
the  Disciples,  upon  hearing  of  his  imprisonment  came 
at  once  to  Glasgow  and  was  assiduous  in  her  attentions. 
From  various  parts  of  Scotland,  indeed,  his  many  friends 
flocked  in  to  visit  him,  so  that  all  day  long  they  were 
coming  and  going,  and  he  had  sometimes  as  many  as 
eleven  in  his  cell  at  one  time,  through  the  kind  in- 
dulgence of  the  jailer,  for  the  law  strictly  allowed  but 
two  persons  at  a  time  to  visit  a  prisoner,  and  that  only 
during  two  hours  of  the  day.  Multitudes  of  letters  like- 
wise poured  in  upon  him  from  all  parts  of  England  ex- 
pressing the  kindliest  sympathy.  His  situation  was  thus 
rendered  comparatively  comfortable,  and  his  chief  re- 
gret was,  that  he  had  caused  so  much  pain  and  grief  to 
many  of  his  brethren  and  sisters.  Maintaining  his  ac- 
customed serenity  and  cheerfulness,  he  conversed  as 
usual  upon  the  interesting  themes  of  the  gospel  with 
his  friendly  visitors,  or  occupied  his  quiet  hours  in 
writing.  Being  without  fire,  however,  and  deprived  of 
his  usual  exercise,  he  felt  a  severe  cold  constantly  ac- 


UNCOMPLAINING   SPIRIT.  563 

cumulating  in  his  system,  notwithstanding  all  his  pru- 
dence and  care,  so  that  when,  after  ten  days.  Lord 
Murray  heard  the  case,  declared  the  warrant  illegal  and 
ordered  his  discharge,  he  found  himself  quite  unwell. 

He  preached  his  first  sermon  in  Paisley  after  his  lib- 
eration, and  it  proved  to  be  the  last  he  ever  preached  in 
Scotland.  The  house  was  crowded  in  every  part,  and 
as  he  prefaced  his  address  with  a  brief  statement  of  the 
causes  of  his  imprisonment,  the  audience  was  most 
deeply  affected  and  listened  in  breathless  silence  to  his 
discourse,  which  he  delivered  with  difficulty,  on  account 
of  his  hoarseness  and  indisposition.  He  was  driven  in 
a  private  carriage  back  to  Glasgow,  followed  by  a  large 
number,  as  he  was  to  speak  that  evening  in  the  largest 
hall  in  the  city,  where  an  immense  concourse  was  as- 
sembled. Upon  rising,  however,  to  make  the  effort,  he 
found  himself  unable,  having  wholly  lost  his  voice. 
Dr.  Watson,  who  had  been  a  fellow-student  with  him  in 
the  University,  and  had  kindly  called  upon  him  while  in 
prison  to  renew  his  acquaintance,  was  called  from  the 
body  of  the  hall  and  discovered  him  to  be  laboring 
under  a  high  degree  of  fever  and  quite  unfit  for  mental 
or  bodily  exertion.  He  therefore,  turning  to  the  people, 
informed  them  of  Mr.  Campbell's  condition  and  dis- 
missed the  assembly,  which  dispersed  in  silence  and  in 
sadness.  Resigning  himself  calmly  into  the  hands  of 
his  friends,  he  was  in  a  few  days  so  much  restored  that 
he  concluded  to  set  out  for  Ireland,  where  some  appoint- 
ments  yet  remained,  James  Henshall  having  already 
filled  some  of  them,  as  at  Belfast  and  elsewhere,  very 
acceptably. 

Neither  during  nor  after  these  proceedings  was  Mr. 
Campbell  known  to  utter  a  word  of  complaint  or  cen- 
sure against  the  law  enforced  in  his  case,  nor  did  he 


564         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL, 

manifest  the  slightest  disposition  to  inveigh  against  Mr. 
Robertson,  his  prosecutor.  Believing  it  to  be  strictly  a 
persecution  for  the  truth's  sake,  he,  on  the  contrary,  re 
joiced  that  he  was  counted  worthy  to  suffer  it,  and  in 
the  same  spirit  he  would  have  gone  joyfully  to  the  stake 
for  the  truths  he  taught.  It  is  a  curious  fact  that  John 
Wesley  experienced  nearly  the  same  fortune  in  Scot- 
land. One  day,  at  Edinburgh,  a  man  by  the  name  of 
G.  Sutherland  trumped  up  certain  charges  against  him, 
demanding  damages  to  the  amount  of  £500.  He  de- 
posed also,  like  Mr.  Robertson,  that  the  said  John  Wes- 
ley, to  evade  his  pursuit,  was  preparing  to  fly  the  coun- 
try, and  upon  these  grounds  obtained  a  similar  warrant 
to  search  for  him  and  incarcerate  him  in  the  Tolbooth  till 
he  should  find  security  for  his  appearance.  Although 
the  sheriff  had  been  so  indiscreet  as  to  grant  this  writ, 
when  the  case  was  tried  before  the  magistrate  the  latter 
had  sufficient  wisdom  to  perceive  that  the  accusation 
was  false  and  calumnious ;  so  that,  instead  of  committing 
Wesley  to  prison,  he  fined  the  prosecutor  £1000  Scotch^ 
t\  ^.,  a  thousand  shillings.  Thus,  as  before  Pilate,  the 
Jews  sought  to  veil  their  religious  animosity  to  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  under  the  pretence  of  fealty  to  Caesar,  so 
modern  religious  persecutors  seek  to  hide,  under  the 
mantle  of  civil  suits  and  legal  processes,  the  sectarian 
malignity  which  they  wish  to  gratify. 

"  I  was  incarcerated,"  said  Mr.  Campbell,  "  because  of 
mere  speculative  and  doctrinal  dissent  from  the  opinion  of  a 
certain  class  of  anti-slavery  men.  My  liberty  was  taken 
away  by  '  liberty  men.'  ...  I  am  aware  it  will  be  said  I 
was  imprisoned  for  a  libel.  But  who  libeled  me  from  Edin- 
burgh to  Banff?  I  libeled  no  man — I  spoke  the  truth. 
There  were  three  Rev,  James  Robertsons  in  Edinburgh,  and 
one  was  accused  of  insulting  and  abusing  his  mother.     His 


GOOD  RESULTS.  $6$ 

exclusion  from  a  church  for  that  offence  is  matter  of  record 
ii.  Dundee. 

"  I  did  not  specify  any  one  of  the  three  Rev.  James  Robert- 
sons. Why  did  only  one  of  them  accuse  himself  by  profess- 
ing to  be  the  man?  Why  did  not  the  other  two  find  cause 
for  a  libel  ?     The  truth  is  no  libel  in  Scotland." 

As  to  this  **  Rev.  James  Robertson,"  it  may  be  stated 
that  when  judgment  was  given  against  him,  as  above 
mentioned,  by  Lord  Murray,  at  the  called  court,  he 
immediately  appealed  to  all  the  lords  in  the  "  court 
of  sessions,"  at  the  November  term.  In  this  court  the 
decision  of  Lord  Murray  was  confirmed,  and  the  pros- 
ecutor, Mr.  Robertson,  was  condemned  to  pay  the  costs 
on  both  sides,  which  by  this  time  amounted  to  a  large 
sum.  Besides  the  lord  justice-general,  Lord  Fullerton, 
Lord  McKenzie,  and  the  celebrated  Lord  Jeffreys, 
delivered  concurring  opinions.  Mr.  Robertson  then 
offered  to  withdraw  his  suit  for  damages  if  Mr.  Camp- 
bell or  his  friends  would  pay  one-half  the  costs  which 
had  accrued.  This  was  at  once  refused,  as  it  was 
evident  Mr.  Robertson  would  be  unable  to  prove  his 
charges  of  libel. 

Before  leaving  Scotland,  Mr.  Campbell  rode  with 
A.  Paton,  seven  miles  out  of  the  city,  to  visit  Dr. 
Wardlaw,  with  whom  he  had  had  a  pleasant  acquaint- 
ance while  a  student,  but  failed  to  see  him,  as  he  and 
his  family  were  absent  at  a  watering-place  fifty  miles  dis- 
tant. On  14th  September  he  set  out  for  Ireland,  and 
after  some  delay  at  Fort  Patrick,  on  account  of  rough 
weather,  arrived  safely  at  Belfast,  on  the  17th.  From 
letters  afterward  received  he  learned  that  his  visit  to 
Scotland  had  been  productive  of  benefit. 

"  The  good  arising  from  your  labors  here,"  said  Alexander 
Paton,  writing  from  Glasgow,  "  is  daily  being  made  known 

4S 


566        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL. 

to  us.  The  people  are  surprised  to  6nd  how  ignorant  and 
prejudiced  they  have  been,  and  how  gratified  they  were  with 
your  addresses,  placing  the  word  of  God  in  such  a  clear  and 
powerful  manner  before  them.  That  was  totally  different 
from  what  they  were  accustomed  to.  There  have  been  nine 
individuals  united  to  us  since  you  were  here,  and  we  have  a 
greater  number  of  hearers  who  pay  us  a  visit  than  formerly. 
The  congregation,  I  should  also  state,  was  greatly  benefited 
by  your  teaching — much  more  so  than  appearances  when 
you  were  here  might  have  indicated.  This  is  manifested  by 
greater  attention  and  zeal  for  the  truth  and  behavior  in 
accordance  with  it.  Your  alms-offerings,  also,  left  with  me 
came  very  opportunely.  Poverty,  distress  and  death  have 
been  the  visitants  of  several  of  the  brethren's  families,  and  it 
has  been  administered  to  alleviate  their  wants  and  sorrows. 
I  may  perhaps  after  this  particularize  the  expenditure  of  it 
when  it  is  all  exhausted,  that  it  may  afford  consolation  to  the 
givers  that  it  had  not  been  sent  in  vain." 

Upon  receiving  similar  letters  touching  his  labors  and 
trials  in  Scotland,  Mr.  Campbell  thus  closed  his  notice 
of  them  :  "  May  the  Lord  make  all  these  trials  redound 
to  his  own  glory,  to  the  consolation  of  his  own  children 
and  to  the  enlightenment  and'  salvation  of  many.  The 
great  cause  of  original  Christianity  and  of  the  general 
reformation  in  the  land  of  our  fathers  is,  we  confidendy 
expect,  to  be  furthered  and  advanced  by  the  singular 
providences  through  which  we  have  been  made  to  pass." 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

Visit  in  Ireland — In  England— Return  to  the  United  States — Afflictions — 
Emancipation — Orphan  school — Tours — Bible  union — Church  edification 
— Temperance  movement 

MR.  CAMPBELL  found  the  city  of  Belfast  greatly 
enlarged  and  changed  from  what  it  was  when 
he  visited  it  in  his  youth.  After  calling  upon  the  few 
Disciples  here,  he  set  out  next  morning  for  Dungannon, 
as  most  of  his  appointments  for  the  North  had  been 
frustrated  by  his  detention  in  Glasgow.  He  regretted 
especially  that  ^his  had  prevented  him  from  filling  an 
appointment  he  had  made  at  Ballymena,  the  place  of 
his  nativity,  twelve  miles  from  Belfast,  and  as  he  passed 
by  railroad  along  the  southern  shore  of  Lough  Neagh 
he  often  cast  longing  and  anxious  looks  across  the 
waters  to  descry,  if  possible,  the  ruins  of  the  ancient 
Shane's  Castle  upon  the  northern  shore,  and  found  no 
little  comfort  in^  the  belief  that  he  had  once  or  twice 
obtained  a  glimpse  of  this  fascinating  spot,  which  was 
among  the  most  cherished  memories  of  his  childhood. 
Though  much  enfeebled,  he  spoke  at  Dungannon, 
Cookestown  and  Moree  to  large  and  attentive  audiences. 
His  strength  here  failing,  he  was  again  partially  re- 
stored by  the  attention  of  the  amiable  Sister  Tener; 
and,  after  parting  from  the  Disciples  who  had  accom- 
panied him  from  Belfast,  he  set  out  on  his  way  to  Rich- 
Hill  with  young   Mr.  Tener  and  James  McCrum,  a 

567 


568        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

gentleman  of  handsome  attainments  and  author  of  a 
volume  of  poems.  Here  he  addressed  a  congregation 
in  the  Presbyterian  meeting-house.  He  then  went  out 
to  sojourn  with  one  of  his  youthful  playmates,  Nathan- 
iel Greer,  where  with  much  enjoyment  he  spent  the 
greater  part  of  a  day  and  two  nights  in  making  in- 
quiries and  hearing  details  respecting  former  friends 
and  acquaintances,  Mr.  Greer  often  reminding  him  of 
the  amusing  pranks  in  which  they  had  together  en- 
gaged in  the  days  of  their  boyhood. 

*'  Mr.  Greer,"  says  Mr.  Campbell  in  his  notes,  "  spent  the 
whole  of  that  day,  the  23d,  in  carrying  me  in  his  carriage 
over  the  grounds  around  my  father's  farm  and  residence,  the 
old  stone  meeting-house  and  the  surrounding  residences  of 
the  prominent  members  of  his  congregation.  But  more  than 
forty  years  had  carried  them  all  away,  except  a  few  members 
of  their  families,  who  still  reside  on  their  patrimonial  inherit- 
ances or  in  their  immediate  environs,  of  which  class  Mr.  Greer 
himself  was  one,  occupying  the  same  house  and  grounds  on 
which  his  father  died  fifty  years  ago.  We  had  the  sexton  to 
open  the  meeting-house,  some  sixty  feet  by  forty,  and  with 
many  a  melancholy  though  somewhat  pleasing  reminiscence 
I  surveyed  the  pews,  saying  to  myself,  ^  Here  sat  such  a  one, 
and  there  sat  such  a  one ;  and  where  sit  they  now  ?*  The 
pulpit  and  the  doors  were  new  modified  ;  all  else  was  in  statu 
quo  as  it  was  when  I  heard  my  father  in  April,  1807,  deliver 
his  farewell  sermon  to  a  large  and  weeping  concourse." 

Mr.  Campbell  spent  the  evening  at  the  pleasant  resi- 
dence of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Robert  Morrison,  minister  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  at  Market  Hill,  and  who  had  been 
one  of  his  own  pupils.  Mr.  Morrison  desired  to  make 
an  appointment  for  him  to  speak  to  his  congregation, 
but  his  engagements  in  England  not  admitting  any  fur- 
ther delay,  he  set  out  on  the  24th  for  Newry,  wherCf 
though  he  greatly  desired  to  spend  several  days,  he  was 


CLOSE  Of  mission,  569 

able  to  spend  but  a  few  hours,  and  after  an  agreeable 
interview  with  one  or  two  old  acquaintances  whom  he 
met,  he  hastened  to  Warren  Point,  where,  in  the  even- 
ing, after  supping  with  Brethren  McCrum  and  Tener, 
he  took  passage  on  the.  steamer  and  was  safely  landed 
next  morning  at  Liverpool,  where  he  found  Brethren 
Davies  and  Woodnorth  awaiting  him.  As  the  church 
there  had  no  meeting  until  the  afternoon,  he  went  to, 
hear  the  celebrated  Dr.  Raffles,  and  was  much  pleased 
with  his  discourse,  while^he  criticised  with  some  severity 
in  his  notes  the  splendid  and  expensive  adornments  of 
the  meeting-house. 

After  a  pleasant  meeting  with  the  church,  which  as- 
sembled in  an  upper  room  in  the  city,  he  returned  to 
MoUington  for  a  little  repose  before  the  co-operation 
meeting  of  the  Disciples,  which  was  to  assemble  at 
Chester  on  the  ist  of  October.  This  was  a  very  agree- 
able meeting.  The  brethren  had  raised  a  sum  much 
more  than  sufficient  to  defray  Mr.  Campbell's  expenses, 
but  as  he  refused  to  receive  anything  more  than  his  ex- 
penses, they  voted  one  hundred  pounds  to  Bethany 
College.  The  brethren  from  Scotland  presented  also 
to  Mr.  Campbell  and  Mr.  Henshall  elegant  copies  of 
the  Polyglot  Bible.  At  this  meeting  arrangements 
were  made  for  the  support  of  evangelists,  and  Mr. 
Campbell  immersed  two  Wesleyan  ministers  from 
Wales  and  Mr.  Samuel  Davies  from  MoUington. 
After  adjournment  he  delivered  his  last  discourse  in 
England  at  Liverpool,  and  he  and  Mr.  Henshall  hav- 
ing now  accomplished  their  mission  in  the  British 
Islands,  and  made  at  various  points  arrangements  for 
the  judicious  distribution  of  the  donations  from  America 
for  the  suffering  poor  which,  to  the  amount  of  $1326  72, 
had  been  committed  to  their  charge,  they  bade  a  final 

48* 


570        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

and  a  sorrowful  farewell  to  their  numerous  kind  fiiends, 
who  had  become  greatly  endeared  to  them,  and  many 
of  whom  accompanied  them  to  the  ship,  the  steamer 
Cambria,  which  immediately  upon  the  reception  of  its 
mails,  turned  its  prow  toward  the  West  and  left  the 
harbor. 

The  weather  at  the  beginning  and  ending  of  the 
voyage  was  pleasant,  but  in  mid-ocean  a  severe  storm 
was  encountered  which  tried  the  vessel  to  the  utmost. 
On  the  first  Lord's  day  at  sea,  Captain  Judkins  himself 
attended  upon  the  Episcopal  service  and  read  a  ser- 
mon, although  there  were  five  clergymen  on  board,  one 
pf  whom  on  the  following  Lord's  day  was  called  to 
officiate.  Among  these  clergymen  Mr.  Campbell  was 
pleased  to  find  his  old  acquaintance,  Mr.  Clapp  of  New 
Orleans.  Upon  reaching  Halifax,  he  went  ashore  for 
a  couple  of  hours. 

'*  On  walking  up  to  the  top  of  the  hill,"  says  he,  *'  upoa 
which  its  fortress  stands,  we  met  crowds  of  worshipers  re- 
turning from  their  respective  churches,  carrying  with  them 
their  household  of  boys  and  girls,  with  their  Bibles  and 
Psalm-books  in  their  hands.  Nothing  in  Halifax  pleased  me 
more.  To  see  the  houses  of  business  closed  and  the  citizens 
returning  en  masse  home  from  their  respective  sanctuaries  on 
a  Lord's  day,  is  always  to  me  a  most  pleasing  and  acceptable 
sight.  A  city  or  a  town  without  a  sanctuary  or  a  Sabbath 
is  of  all  sights  to  me  the  most  desolate  and  depressing ;  and 
I  think  to  every  one  of  common  sense  and  common  humanity 
who  has  read  with  consideration  the  Bible  history  of  the  origin 
and  destiny  of  man." 

Next  morning,  while  passing  along  the  American 
coast,  he  thus  notes  his  reflections : 

''  On  Monday  morning,  rising  very  early  and  enjoying  an 
almost  solitary  walk  on  the  deck,  often  casting  my  eyes  to 
the  West,  I  had  many  pleasing  recollections  and  emotions  in 


L 


AMERICAN  CITIZENSHIP,  571 

retrospecting  the  past  and  anticipating  the  future.  The  good- 
ness and  merciful  care  of  the  Father  of  mercies  in  first  direct- 
ing my  path  across  the  vast  ocean,  the  scenes  and  transactions 
of  nearly  forty  years  since  first  I  approached  the  American 
coast,  in  turn  passed  and  repassed  before  my  mind  with  many 
an  emotion  and  feeling  to  which  I  cannot  give  utterance. 
But  thoughts  of '  home,  sweet  home,'  which  I  dare  not  cherish 
nor  even  entertain  while  so  far  from  it,  and  the  tens  of  thou- 
sands of  brethren  and  friends  dear  to  me  from  whom  I  had 
been,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  a  long,  long  time  separated,  now 
found  a  ready  admission  and  easy  access  into  my  heart. 

'*  I  had,  when  worn  down  with  labor  at  different  parts  of 
my  tour,  ahuost  concluded  that  I  would  never  return  to  those 
whom  I  had  left  behind.  But  now  a  bright  hope  reassured 
me,  and  the  thought  that  twenty-four  hours  from  that  time  I 
would  be  in  Boston,  and  once  more  tread  the  soil  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  now  to  me  the  dearest  and  most 
precious  land  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  awoke  within  me  so 
many  pleasing  and  grateful  emotions  that  for  a  time  I  seemed 
lost  to  everything  around  me,  and  to  be  wholly  absorbed  in 
admiration  of  the  divine  goodness  in  wonder,  gratitude  and 
praise. 

"  The' relative  position  of  the  United  States,  the  numerous 
and  various  privileges  and  honors  of  an  American  citizen, 
now  appeared  to  me  so  inefl[iibly  beyond  comparison  with 
those  of  any  nation  or  people  on  earth,  of  the  present  or  of 
any  past  age,  that  I  would  not  sell  my  political  rights  and 
privileges  of  American  citizenship  for  all  the  emoluments 
that  cluster  around  the  stateliest  and  most  aristocratic  subject 
of  any  European  or  Asiatic  crown  ever  worn  on  earth. 

"  I  have  often  given  it  as  my  opinion,  and  now  afifirm  it  as 
a  stubborn  and  invincible  fact,  that  few,  if  any,  native-born 
American  citizens  who  have  never  traveled  abroad  either  did 
or  do  appreciate  the  privileges,  duties  and  responsibilities  of 
an  American  citizen.  To  feel  one's  self  a  lord,  a  prince,  a 
potentate,  clothed  with  a  little  brief  authority — to  feel  one's 
self  decorated  with  hereditary  honors,  titles  and  privileges, 


57^    MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

with  which  some  are  possessed  without  any  virtue,  and  ot 
which  others  are  debarred  by  birth  without  any  vice  of  their 
own,  may  indeed  minister  some  gratification  to  the  pride  and 
selfishness  of  fallen  humanity ;  but  to  feel  one's  self  a  man 
endowed  with  reason,  conscience  and  moral  feeling,  invested 
with  a  paramount  provision  of  paramount  human  authority, 
with  liberty  of  thought,  liberty  of  speech  and  liberty  of  action, 
knowing  no  one  superior  in  rank  to  a  man — a  well-educated, 
moral  and  religious  man — as  the  noblest,  best  and  greatest 
work  of  God  on  earth,  is  the  greatest  nobility  to  which  any 
human  being  can  rationally,  morally  or  religiously  aspire. 
And  with  all  these  honors,  immunities  and  privileges  is 
every  American  citizen  invested,  of  which  he  never  can  be 
divested  by  any  superior  on  earth  so  long  as  he  conducts  him- 
self in  harmony  with  reason,  morality  and  religion. 

*' We  can  desire  for  ourselves  no  better  political  or  temporal 
birth-right  or  inheritance  than  we  now  possess,  and  we  can 
pray  for  no  grfeater  honors  and  privileges  of  this  world  for 
any  living  people  greater  or  better  than  those  guaranteed  by 
our  institutions  to  every  American  citizen.  May  we  act  wor- 
thily of  them  !  May  they  long  be  the  inheritance  of  our  pos- 
terity, and  may  they  soon  be  bestowed  on  all  the  kindreds, 
tongues  and  people  of  the  earth,  until  there  shall  ascend  from 
every  dwelling  on  the  earth  one  grateful  song  of  praise  to  Him 
that  hath  redeemed  man  from  the  tyranny  of  man  and  invested 
the  human  race  with  equal  laws,  equal  institutions  and  equal 
national  and  political  birth-rights,  leaving  it  to  every  human 
being  under  the  government  and  providence  of  God  to  be  the 
architect  of  his  own  fortune,  the  creator  of  his  own  personal 
rank,  dignity  and  honor !" 

The  great,  far-reaching  principles  upon  which  the 
political  institutions  of  the  United  States  were  founded 
were  peculiarly  grateful  to  one  of  Mr.  Campbell's  ex- 
pansive philanthropy  and  comprehensive  intellect ;  and 
it  was  ever  with  delight  that  he  adverted  to  the  great 
truths  developed  in  American  history,  and  so  well  ex- 


PATIENT  IN  AFFLICTION,  573 

pressed  by  President  Quincy,  that  **  human  happiness 
has  no  perfect  security  but  freedom ;  freedom  none 
but  virtue ;  virtue  none  but  knowledge ;  and  neither 
freedom  nor  virtue  has  any  vigor  or  immortal  life  ex- 
cept in  the  principles  of  the  Christian  faith  and  in  the 
sanctions  of  the  Christian  religion." 

Arriving  in  Boston  on  the  morning  of  the  19th  of 
October,  he  received,  while  in  the  custom-house,  a  let- 
ter from  home  giving  him  the  first  information  of  the 
death  of  his  son  Wickliffe.  Deeply  moved  by  the  in- 
telligence of  this  mournful  event,  *'  but  for  which,"  he 
says  in  his  notes,  his  "travels  abroad,  as  well  as  his 
travels  at  home,  would  long  have  been  remembered 
with  pleasure,"  he  nevertheless  failed  not  to  apply  to 
the  only  true  source  of  consolation  and  to  submit  rev- 
erently to  the  will  of  God.  "  He  is  too  wise  to  err," 
he  remarked,  **  and  too  kind  causelessly  to  afflict  the 
children  of  men.  May  our  affections  never  be  unduly 
placed  on  anything  on  earth  ;  but  as  those  we  love,  both 
in  the  flesh  and  in  the  Lord,  are  taken  to  himself,  may 
our  affections  be  more  placed  on  things  above  and  less 
on  things  of  earth  1" 

Upon  his  return  to  Bethany  he  appeared  much  worn 
and  jaded,  rather  thaa  refreshed,  by  his  European  tour. 
His  incessant  labors  and  his  anxieties  and  afflictions  had 
much  more  than  countervailed  the  invigorating  effects 
of  travel,  and  it  was  a  number  of  months  before,  in  the 
pure  air  of  his  quiet  home  and  amidst  his  customary 
pursuits,  he  could  be  said  to  have  regained  his  health. 
Mrs.  Campbell's  unhappy  state  of  mind,  too,  during  this 
period  pressed  very  heavily  upon  him,  as  he  was 
naturally  of  a  cheerful  and  even  joyous  temperament, 
delighting  in  the  happiness  of  those  around  him,  and 
exceedingly  affectionate  and  sympathetic  in  his  feelings. 


n 


574         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

It  was  some  time  before  his  presence  and  unceasing 
attentions  seemed  to  have  much  effect  upon  Mrs.  Camp- 
bell, whose  health  was  visibly  suffering.  Overwhelmed 
with  sorrow,  and  unable  to  take  any  longer  her  accus- 
tomed interest  in  the  household  affairs,  it  was  beautiful 
to  see  how  gentle  and  subdued  he  was  in  his  demeanor 
toward  her,  and  how  tenderly  and  encouragingly  he 
addressed  her.  Seeking  her  always  upon  his  return 
from  college,  he  gave  her  as  much  of  his  society  as 
possible,  and  often,  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening,  missing 
her  from  the  family  circle,  and  suspecting  that  she  had 
stolen  away  to  weep  at  the  grave,  he  would  hasten  to 
the  cemetery  to  find  her,  and,  accosting  her  in  the 
kindest  accents,  "My  dear,"  he  would  say — "my 
dearest  Selina,  the  loved  ones  are  not  here.  They 
have  passed  beyond  these  earthly  scenes  to  happier 
abodes ;"  and  taking  her  arm  with  the  most  touching 
expressions  of  sympathy  and  love,  would  lead  her 
gently  home.  His  affectionate  condolence  and  the  con- 
solations of  the  word  of  God,  which  he  constantly 
sought  to  impress  upon  her  mind,  together  with  the 
kindest  expressions  of  sympathy  from  the  brotherhood, 
finally  began  to  produce  their  appropriate  effect  upon 
Mrs.  Campbell  in  imparting  to  her  a  greater  degree  of 
resignation.  In  reply  to  a  kind  letter  of  condolence 
about  this  time  from  R.  L.  Coleman,  Mr.  Campbell 
thus  wrote : 

"  Bethany,  Virginia,  January  12,  1S4& 
"  Brother  Coleman — my  very  dear  brother  :  I  thank- 
fully acknowledge  two  favors  received  from  you  since  my 
return  home  ;  and  for  the  kind  Christian  sympathies  expressed 
in  the  former,  and  condolence  with  myself  and  wife  in  the 
severe  affliction  through  which  we  have  passed,  you  have  our 
grateful  and  thankful  acknowledgments.     Our  prayer  to  our 


UNSWERVING  FAITH,  $15 

heavenly  Father  is,  that  the  bereavement  and  trial  which  we 
have  endured  during  the  last  year  may  wean  us  more  from 
everything  on  earth,  purify  our  hearts  from  every- inordinate 
affection  and  passion,  and  make  us  more  devoted  to  his  honor 
and  glory  and  that  of  our  exalted  Saviour.  She  is,  however, 
still  very  much  grieved  and  dejected.  She  thinks  she  never 
can  cease  to  grieve  that  the  Lord  was  constrained  from  any- 
thing in  herself  to  lay  his  hand  so  heavily  upon  her.  Being 
constitutionally  of  very  strong  affections  and  feelings,  and  of 
a  very  sensitive  and  delicate  conscience",  and  withal  being  at 
the  time  very  much  debilitated  in  her  health,  she  has  been 
greatly  dejected  and  afflicted  in  this  case.  I  am  glad,  how- 
ever, that  she  is  getting  round  by  degrees  to  a  better  health, 
though  I  fear  it  will  be  some  time  before  she  be  herself  again. 
I  have  suffered  much  in  the  loss  of  my  children.  Yet  the 
last  loss — so  unexpected,  and  as  such  a  special  providence — 
has  been  more  oppressive  than  any  one  case  or  trial  through 
which  I  had  passed.  Many  a  fond  hope  and  promise  clustered 
around  Wickliffe.  But  he  was  destined  for  another  field  of 
action,  and  the  Lord  has  taken  him  to  himself.  And  to  his 
sovereign  good  pleasure  I  desire  to  bow  with  the  most  devout 
submission,  praying  only  that  the  Lord  may  make  it  a  bless- 
ing to  myself  and  to  all  his  relatives." 

It  was  doubtless  fortunate  for  Mr.  Campbell  during 
this  period  that  the  continual  demands  upon  his  time 
and  attention  on  the  part  of  the  great  and  varied  inter- 
ests with  which  he  was  connected  served  to  divert  his 
mind  from  private  griefs,  and  to  enable  him  to  retain 
undisturbed  that  moral  and  religious  equilibrium  for 
which  he  was  so  remarkable.  Prompt  in  the  fulfillment 
of  all  his  duties  to  the  college,  and  earnest  in  all  his 
efforts  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the  students,  as  well 
as  to  instruct  the  general  public  through  the  pulpit  and 
the  press,  his  activities  were  not  permitted  to  stagnate, 
but  flowed  on  steadily  in  their  accustomed  channels. 

He  was  much  gratified  after  his  return  from  Europe 


57^         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL. 

in  receiving  from  time  to  time  and  from  various  quarters 
assurances  of  sympathy  and  approval  in  relation  to  his 
course  upon  the  slavery  question  in  Scotland.     Espe- 
cially were  those  connected  with  the   abolition  party 
forward  to  denounce  the  conduct  of  Mr.  Robertson  and 
the  Anti-slavery  Society  which  sustained  him.     How- 
ever differing  with -Mj.  Campbell  as  to  the  question  of 
slavery  itself,  none  couftS4ail  to  admire  his  noble  in- 
trepidity and  his  conscientiouS-^d  inflexible  adherence 
to  the  teachings  of  the  Bible  up«P  the  subject.     His 
position  indeed  was  in  reality  adm^ted   by  the  more 
intelligent  opponents  of  American  slawKT"  Way- 

land,  in  his  able  and  christianlike  discuS^^ion  of  the 
matter  with  Dr.  Fuller,  granted  that  slaves ^^^^  ^^^ 
under  the  Old  Testament,  and  that  Moses  enactti^  ^^"^^ 
with  special  reference  to  that  relation.  **  I  woMr^*"' 
said  he,  '*  that  any  one  should  have  had  the  hardiMCJ^^ 
to  deny  so  plain  a  matter  of  record.  I  should  almc^*^ 
as  soon  deny  the  delivery  of  the  ten  commandments  t< 
Moses.**  He  also  admitted  that  the  New  Testament' 
contained  no  precept  prohibitory  of  slavery,  while  at 
the  same  time  he  insisted  that  holding  men  in  bondage 
and  obliging  them  to  labor  for  our  benefit  without  their 
contract  or  consent  was  always  a  moral  wrong.  Mr. 
Campbell  was  much  gratified  with  a  notice  condemning 
his  persecution  from  the  pen  of  Dr.  Baily,  the  talented 
abolitionist  editor  of  the  **  National  Era,"  at  Washing- 
ton, and  especially  pleased  with  a  kind  letter  signed  by 
a  number  of  his  fellow-laborers  on  the  Western  Re- 
serve who  were  abolitionists,  in  which,  without  entering 
upon  any  discussion  as  to  Mr.  Campbell's  position, 
they  said : 

"  We  regret  the  course  of  Mr.  Robertson.     We  regret  the 
endorsement  of  his  conduct  in  the  affair  by  the  *  Scotch  Anti- 


TRIBUTES  OF  APPROVAL.  $71 

slavery  Society."  We  regret  that  in  such  an  age  as  this,  in 
such  a  land  as  Scotland,  in  such  cities  as  Edinburgh  and 
Glasgow,  men  making  such  pretensions  to  philanthropy, 
and  standing  forth  as  advocates  of  righteousness,  should  be 
induced  to  furnish  so  severe  a  satire  as  is  afforded  in  the 
impartial  history  of  their  course  toward  you — beginning  with 
a  disguised  hostility  under  the  mask  of  friendship,  and  end- 
ing in  the  illegal  imprisonmnent  of  an  unoffending  man.  We 
reprobate  their  whole  course.  We  look  with  indignation 
upon  their  entire  proceedings,  so  discreditable  and  disgrace- 
ful to  the  age,  to  the  country,  and  to  the  cause  to  which  they 
are  professedly  devoted.  We  approve  and  admire  your  firm 
and  patient  endurance  of  wrong,  and  offer  you  now,  most 
cheerfully  and  heartily,  this  public  expression  of  our  sympa- 
thy with  you  and  yours,  and  our  full  confidence  in  your 
manly  devotion  to  truth." 

Among  various  other  communications  of  this  kind 
was  one  from  a  committee  of  brethren  in  Missouri,  from 
which  the  following  is  an  extract : 

"  We  exceedingly  regret  the  course  which  the  Anti-slavery 
Society  thought  proper  to  pursue  toward  you  in  Scotland, 
and  hope  that  after  passion  and  excitement  have  subsided 
they,  themselves,  will  regret  it.  We  regret  it  on  their  ac- 
count, they  being  considered  the  most  enlightened  people  in 
Europe  ;  and  we  regret  it  because  you  were  the  bearer  of  our 
liberality  to  the  poor,  and  the  messenger  of  our  churches  to 
carry  the  glad  tidings  of  great  joy  to  the  European  nations. 
So  far  from  feeling  a  spirit  of  anger  or  revenge  toward  them, 
we  commiserate  and  forgive  them.  And  so  far  from  your 
imprisonment  derogating  from  your  merit,  in  our  opinion  it 
has  greatly  enhanced  it.  They  have  certainly  mistaken  the 
character  of  our  American  population  if  they  imagine  that 
such  a  course  toward  you  would  destroy  your  reputation  or 
cure  the  evils  of  slavery.  Their  judges  are  just  and  upright 
men,  and  have  rendered  themselves  nob]^  and  illustrious  in 
the  eyes  of  all  impartial  and  honest  men." 
YOL.  II.— 2  M  49 


578         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

It  was  a  pleasing  feature  of  these  expressions  of  feel- 
ing, as  well  as  of  those  made  by  the  students  before  Mr. 
Campbell's  return,  that  while  sufficiently  decided  they 
were  moderate  in  tone  and  language.  For  all  these 
testimonials  Mr.  Campbell  made  a  grateful  public  ac- 
knowledgment, assuring  the  brethren  that  their  sym- 
pathy had  greatly  strengthened  and  refreshed  him,  and 
encouraged  him  to  be  still  more  zealous  in  the  main- 
tenance of  every  item  of  divine  truth  at  all  risks  and 
hazards.  As  to  the  Rev.  James  Robertson  and  his  suit 
against  Mr.  Campbell,  it  may  be  here  observed  that 
after  the  decision  against  him  in  the  full  court  of  the 
Queen's  Bench,  it  was  discovered  that  he  was  not  likely 
to  continue  his  prosecution  for  libel,  but  was  disposed 
to  leave  Mr.  Campbell  under  the  imputation  of  having 
escaped  from  the  charge  through  the  informality  of  the 
first  proceedings.  Mr.  Campbell's  friends  there  thought 
it  therefore  due  to  him  to  compel  Mr.  Robertson  to  try 
the  case  on  its  own  merits,  and  accordingly  brought 
suit  against  him  for  false  imprisonment,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, however,  declaring  beforehand  that  should  dam- 
ages be  awarded  him  he  would  not  accept  of  them,  as 
the  suit  was  not  for  purposes  of  revenge,  but  merely  in 
order  to  have  it  legally  determined  that  the  charge 
against  him  of  libel  was  unjust.  The  final  issue  of  the 
case  was,  that  Mr.  Robertson  was  wholly  unable  to 
justify  his  charges,  and  was  condemned  to  pay  £2000 
sterling  damages  for  false  imprisonment,  to  avoid  which 
he  thought  proper  to  abscond ;  so  that  the  ^^ meditation" 
of-flight"  warrant  which  he  had  obtained  against  Mr. 
Campbell  in  order  to  his  detention  led  at  last  to  his  own 
actual  flight  from  the  kingdom  in  disgrace. 

In  May  of  this  year,  Mrs.  Campbell  was  again  called 
upon  to  suffer  affliction  in  the  death  of  her  mother,  who 


'  CHRISTIAN  HOPE,  579 

had  resided  with  her  for  some  years  at  Bethany;  and 
on  the  22d  of  October  of  the  same  year  her  eldest 
daughter,  Margaret,  who  had  married  John  O.  Ewing 
of  Nashville,  was  called  away,  in  the  full  assurance  of 
faith  and  hope,  after  a  decline  of  several  months,  leav- 
ing an  infant  child.  Her  strengthened  faith,  however, 
and  the  influence  of  Mr.  Campbell's  teaching  and  ex- 
ample, enabled  her  to  bear  these  additional  bereave- 
ments with  Christian  equanimity,  and  she  continued 
gradually  to  regain  her  former  cheerfulness.  Mrs. 
Ewing,  though  of  a  cheerful  and  lively  disposition,  was 
also  thoughtful  and  religious,  and  greatly  esteemed  for 
her  many  amiable  qualities.  Her  father  thus  refers  to 
her  and  to  his  bereavements  in  closing  the  "Harbinger" 
of  that  year : 

'*  But  to  us,  her  survivors — husband,  parents,  children  and 
relatives — there  is  no  compensation  for  one  so  near  and  dear 
to  us  all,  so  gifled  by  nature  and  grace,  so  devoted  to  the  hap- 
piness of  the  circle  in  which  she  moved,  so  capable  of  bless- 
ing and  of  being  blessed  in  all  the  relations  of  life :  but  the 
clear  and  well-grounded  hope  is  that  she  is  released  from  sin 
and  sorrow  in  the  bosom  of  her  Lord,  in  whose  presence 
there  is  fullness  of  joy  and  at  whose  right  hand  there  are 
pleasures  for  evermore. 

"How  strange,  and  yet  how  mournfully  pleasing,  the 
thought  that  of  fourteen  children  given  to  me,  nine  of  them 
are  now  present  with  the  Lord !  Three  of  them  died,  never 
having  sinned  in  their  own  persons.  And  as  by  Adam  the 
first  they  died,  by  Adam  the  second  they  shall  live  in  the 
Lord.  Six  of  them  died  in  faith  and  rejoiced  in  the  hope  of 
a  glorious  immortality.  This  to  us,  their  survivors,  is  a 
sovereign  balm,  a  blest  relief.  Though  dead  to  us,  they  live 
with  God.  May  the  kind  Redeemer  raise  us  up  with  them 
in  his  own  time  and  reunite  us  in  the  inheritance  incor- 
ruptible, undefiled  and  that  fadeth  not  away !" 


S8o        MEMOIRS    OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

In  the  course  of  the  next  year,  as  the  constitution  of 
the  State  of  Kentucky  was  to  be  remodeled,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell availed  himself  of  the  opportunity  to  employ  his 
\^  influence  in  favor  of  introducing  a  clause  for  the  eman- 
cipation of  slaves.  Coinciding  entirely  with  Mr.  Clay 
in  a  letter  which  the  latter  had  published  on  the  subject, 
he  compared  the  progress  of  Ohio  with  that  of  Ken- 
tucky, and  showed  how  great  a  drawback  slavery  was 
upon  the  prosperity  of  the  State.  Contemplating  the 
subject  in  its  moral  and  religious  bearing  from  a 
Christian  point  of  view,  he  endeavored  to  enforce  the 
importance  of  taking  advantage  of  the  present  occasion 
to  get  rid  of  an  evil  which  could  only  become  more 
fatal  by  delay.  "These  suggestions,"  said  he,  **  are 
dictated  by  an  attachment  which  is  not  feigned  and  an 
admiration  which  is  not  professed  for  a  people  dear  to 
me  from  many  associations,  and  in  whose  political, 
moral  and  religious  elevation  I  cannot  but  take  the 
greatest  interest."  Mr.  Campbell's  influence,  however, 
as  well  as  that  of  Mr.  Clay,  proved,  in  this  case,  alto- 
gether unavailing. 

In  his  editorial  labors  at  this  period,  Mr.  Campbell 
continued  to  discuss  the  great  religious  questions  with 
which  he  had  previously  been  engaged,  and  especially 
endeavored  to  promote  amongst  the  Reformers  piety 
and  good  works.  A  school  for  female  orphans  was 
about  this  time  established  at  Midway,  Kentucky, 
through  the  efforts  of  Dr.  L.  L.  Pinkerton  and  the 
amiable  and  devoted  James  W.  Parish  and  others. 
This  institution,  especially  through  the  efficient  aid  of 
John  T.  Johnson  and  William  Morton  and  other  warm 
friends  of  the  enterprise,  soon  succeeded  in  obtaining  a 
considerable  endowment,  and  proved  to  be  a  great 
blessing  to  the  community.     Resuming  his  excursions 


CANDID   CRITICISM.  5^1 

abroad  in  behalf  of  the  cause  of  education  and  of  the 
Reformation,  he  visited  Kentucky  at  the  close  of  the 
year  1849,  and  on  his  way  delivered,  by  invitation,  an 
interesting  address  on  the  Anglo-Saxon  language  to  the 
** Young  Men's  Mercantile  Library  Association**  of 
Cincinnati.  From  thence  he  proceeded  to  Louisville, 
where  he  spoke  several  times.  On  two  of  these  occa- 
sions he  happened  to  have  the  Rev.  Heman  Humphrey, 
D.D.,  and  former  president  of  Amherst  College,  Mass., 
for  one  of  his  auditors.  This  distinguished  Presby- 
terian doctor,  after  his  return  to  the  East,  published,  in 
the  "  New  York  Observer,"  an  account  of  his  visit  to 
Kentucky,  in  which  he  gave  the  following  candid  and 
graphic  account  of  Mr.  Campbell  as  a  preacher : 

"  Though  on  the  first  evening  I  went  half  an  hour  before 
the  time,  I  found  the  house  and  aisles  densely  crowded  from 
the  porch  up  to  the  pulpit  stairs.  Very  many,  I  am  sure, 
must  have  gone  away  because  they  could  find  no  room  even 
to  stand  within  hearing  of  the  preacher's  voice. 

''At  length  Dr.  Campbell  made  his  way  up  through  the 
crowd  and  took  his  seat  in  the  pulpit.  He  is  somewhat  above 
middle  stature,  with  broad  shoulders,  a  little  stooping,  and, 
though  stoutly  built,  a  little  spare  and  pale.  He  has  a  high, 
intellectual  forehead,  a  keen,  dark  eye,  somewhat  shaded,  and 
a  well-covered  head  of  gray  hair,  fast  changing  into  the  full 
bloom  of  the  almond  tree.  I  think  he  must  be  rather  over 
than  under  sixty-five  years  of  age.  He  looks  like  a  hard- 
working man,  as  he  has  been  from  his  youth  up.  Very  few 
could  have  endured  so  much  mental  and  physical  labor  as 
has  raised  him  to  the  commanding  situation  which  he  now 
occupies,  and  so  long  sustained  him  in  it.  His  voice  is  not 
strong,  evidently  owing,  in  part,  to  the  indifferent  state  of  his 
health,  but  it  is  clear  and  firmly  modulated.  His  enunciation 
is  distinct,  and,  as  he  uses  no  notes,  his  language  is  remarkably 
pure  and  select.     In  his  delivery  he  has  not  much  action,  and 

49  • 


582         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

but  little  of  that  fervid  outpouring  which  characterizes  Western 
and  Southern  eloquence.  There  is  nothing  vociferous  or  im- 
passioned in  his  manner.  I  think  he  is  the  most  perfectly 
self-possessed,  the  most  perfectly  at  ease  in  the  pulpit,  of  any 
preacher  I  ever  listened  to,  except,  perhaps,  the  celebrated 
Dr.  John  Mason  of  New  York.  No  gentleman  could  be  more 
free  and  unembarrassed  in  his  own  parlor.  At  the  same  time 
tiiere  is  not  the  slightest  apparent  want  of  deference  for  his 
audience. 

**  In  laying  out  his  work  his  statements  are  Simple*  clear 
and  concise,  his  topics  are  well  and  logically  arranged,  his 
manner  is  calm  and  deliberate,  but  full  of  assurance.  His 
appeals  are  not  very  earnest  nor  indicative  of  deep  feeling; 
but  nevertheless  winning  and  impressive  in  a  high  degree. 
There  were  many  fine  and  truly  eloquent  passages  in  the  two 
discourses  I  heard,  but  they  seemed  to  cost  him  no  effort, 
and  to  betray  no  consciousness  on  his  part  that  they  were 
fine.  In  listening  to  him  you  feel  that  you  are  in  the  pres- 
ence of  a  great  man.  He  speaks  like  a  ^  master  of  assemblies,' 
who  has  entire  confidence  in  his  mastery  of  his  subject  and 
his  powers,  and  who  expects  to  carry  conviction  to  the  minds 
of  his  hearers  without  any  of  those  adventitious  aids  on  which 
ordinary  men  find  it  necessary  to  rely.  On  both  evenings 
when  I  heard  him  he  held  the  great  congregation  for  an 
hour  and  a  half  in  that  profound  stillness  which  shows  that 
his  listeners  are  not  aware  of  the  lapse  of  time. 

**  Dr.  Campbell's  first  discourse  was  an  exceedingly  inter- 
esting eulogy,  if  I  may  so  call  it,  upon  the  Bible,  glancing 
rapidly  at  some  of  the  internal  proofs  of  its  divine  origin, 
dwelling  as  much  as  his  time  would  allow  upon  its  wonder- 
ful history,  biography  and  prophecies,  and  following  the 
sacred  stream  down  through  the  dispensations,  or,  as  he  ex- 
pressed it,  ^the  starlight  and  moonlight  ages' of  the  patriarchs 
and  of  the  Jewish  commonwealth,  till  the  glorious  Sun  of 
Righteousness  rose  upon  the  world  and  introduced  the  Chris- 
tian era. 

**  The  text  on  the  next  evening  was,  '  Great  is  the  mystery 


POWER  AS  A  PREACHER,  583 

of  godliness/  etc.  It  was  an  able  and  orthodox  discourse 
throughout.  He  dwelt  chiefly  upon  the  two  clauses  of  the 
text,  *  justified  in  the  Spirit,  received  up  into  glory ;' and  I 
cannot  in  justice  refrain  from  acknowledging  that  I  never 
remember  to  have  listened  to  or  to  have  read  a  more  thrilling 
outburst  of  sacred  eloquence  than  when  he  came  to  the  scene 
of  the  coronation  of  Christ,  and  quoted  the  sublime  passage 
from  the  twenty-fourth  Psalm,  beginning,  *  Lift  up  your  heads, 
O  ye  gates,  and  be  ye  lifted  up,  ye  everlasting  doors,  that  the 
King  of  glory  may  come  in ;'  when  he  represented  all  the 
angels,  principalities  and  powers  of  heaven  as  coming  to- 
gether to  assist,  as  it  were,  in  placing  the  crown  upon  the 
Redeemer's  head." 

This  description  of  Mr.  Campbell  as  a  preacher  is,  in 
the  main,  just  and  accurate.  To  it  may  be  added  some 
remarks  serving  to  explain  still  further  the  secret  of  his 
power  to  rivet  the  attention  and  control  the  minds  of 
men.  Nothing  indeed  was  more  striking  than  his  sin- 
gular ability  to  interest  his  hearers  in  the  subject  of 
which  he  treated.  With  this  his  own  mind  was  occu- 
pied, and,  being  free  from  all  thoughts  of  self,  there  was 
in  his  addresses  an  entire  absence  of  egotism,  and  noth- 
ing in  his  delivery  to  divert  the  attention  from  the  theme 
on  which  he  discoursed.  For  the  first  few  moments, 
indeed,  the  hearer  might  contemplate  his  commanding 
form,  his  perfect  self-possession  and  quiet  dignity  of 
manner,  or  admire  the  clear  and  silvery  tones  of  his 
voice,  but  those  emphatic  tones  soon  filled  the  mind 
with  other  thoughts.  New  revelations  of  truth  ;  themes 
the  most  familiar  invested  with  a  strange  importance,  as 
unexpected  and  yet  obvious  relations  were  developed  in 
a  few  simple  sentences ;  unthought-of  combinations ; 
unforeseen  conclusions ;  a  range  of  vision  that  seemed  to 
embrace  the  universe  and  to  glance  at  pleasure  into  all 
its  varied  departments, — were,  as  by  some  magic  power 


584        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

presented  to  the  hearer,  and  so  as  wholly  to  engross  his 
perceptions  and  his  understanding.  While  that  voice 
was  heard,  nothing  could  dissolve  the  charm.  Minutes 
became  seconds,  and  hours  were  converted  into  minutes, 
so  that  the  auditor  became  unconscious  of  the  lapse  of 
time,  and  his  attention  during  the  longest  discourse  was 
never  weary.  Without  any  gestures,  either  emphatic 
or  descriptive,  the  speaker  stood  in  the  most  natural 
and  easy  attitude,  resting  upon  his  innate  powers  of 
intellebt  and  his  complete  mastery  of  the  subject,  im- 
pressing all  with  the  sense  of  a  superior  presence  and  a 
mighty  mind.  His  enunciation  was  distinct,  his  diction 
chaste  and  simple,  his  sentences  clear  and  forcible. 
The  intonations  of  his  clear  ringing  voice  were  ad- 
mirably adapted  to  the  sentiment,  while  by  his  strong 
and  bold  emphasis  upon  important  words  he  imparted 
to  what  he  said  a  peculiar  force  and  authority. 

On  important  occasions,  and  when  he  had  a  great 
subject  before  him,  his  method  was  often  peculiar. 
After  reading  a  portion  of  Scripture  which  embraced 
his  theme,  he  would  take  up  some  simple  point  seem- 
ingly unconnected  with  it,  and  dwelling  upon  this  in- 
terestingly for  a  few  moments  until  he  had  made  it  per- 
fectly clear  to  the  audience,  he  would  then  leave  it  and 
take  up  another  apparently  equally  unrelated  and  treat 
it  in  a  similar  manner.  Continuing  thus,  he  would 
assume  in  like  manner  a  third,  a  fourth,  or  even  a  fifth 
position,  each  one  of  which  was  in  itself  clearly  defined 
and  forcibly  presented,  yet  whose  relations  to  the  sub- 
ject or  to  each  other  an  ordinary  mind  would  hardly 
perceive.  At  length,  however,  he  would  introduce 
some  other  point  or  principle  of  wider  range,  and  the 
hearer  would  now  with  wonder  and  with  a  conscious- 
ness of  enlarged  insight  begin  to  perceive  an  intimate 


SECRE T  OF  PO  WER.  585 

and  necessary  relation  between  it  and  the  previous  posi- 
tions, as  one  by  one  he  would  bring  them  in  as  proofs 
or  illustrations  of  the  grand  or  leading  thought  which 
constituted  his  special  theme,  and  which  in  all  its 
grandeur  he  designed  to  impress  upon  the  minds  and 
hearts  of  the  audience.  His  power  was  thus  derived, 
not  from  graceful  gesture,  nor  from  flowery  language, 
nor  from  elaborate  or  glowing  description,  nor  merely 
from  logical  argumentation,  but  from  his  singular  faculty 
of  stating  and  connecting  facts— ^{  producing  novel 
and  striking  combinations  of  related  truths^  and  of 
evolving  the  grand  fundamental  principles  of  things. 
Seizing  upon  these  by  an  intuitive  sagacity,  he  obtained 
at  once  the  complete  mastery  of  his  subject,  which  he 
was  enabled  to  disengage  with  the  greatest  ease  from 
all  its  complications,  as  the  experienced  woodman,  skill- 
fully placing  his  wedge  in  the  heart  of  the  timber,  rives 
it  through  all  its  knots  and  windings,  or  as  some  Napo- 
leon directs  at  various  distant  points  large  and  isolated 
bodies  of  troops,  whose  destination  cannot  be  determined 
by  ordinary  minds  until  the  unexpected  concentration 
of  the  whole  upon  a  given  point  reveals  the  comprehen- 
sive genius  of  the  warrior. 

Mr.  Campbell's  discourses  were,  however,  by  no 
means  destitute  of  ornament.  He  had  a  correct  fancy, 
which  was  rather  fastidious  than  lively.  Hence  he 
never  employed  figures  of  a  homely  character  or  such 
as  were  calculated  to  lower  his  subject.  On  the  con- 
trary, his  comparisons,  which  were  not  very  frequent, 
were  always  such  as  tended  to  elevate  it,  or  were  at 
least  in  perfect  harmony  with  it.  These  he  usually 
drew  from  the  Scriptures,  and  his  familiarity  with  the 
language  of  the  Bible  enabled  him  to  employ  its  glow-' 
ing  expressions  and  beautiful  similes  with  great  effect. 


586         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

It  was  from  it,  indeed,  tliat  his  discourses  derived  their 
convincing  truths,  their  inspiration  and  their  grandeur. 
Bible  themes,  Bible  thoughts,  Bible  terms,  Bible  facts 
were  his  materials,  and  these  he  wrought  up  with  con- 
summate skill  into  intellectual  and  spiritual  palaces  of 
glorious  beauty,  in  which  every  auditor  desired  to  pro- 
long his  stay.  For  the  embellishment  of  these  he  em- 
ployed Scripture  metaphors  much  more  frequently  than 
comparisons,  but  it  was  upon  analogies  that  he  seemed 
chiefly  to  rely  for  illustration  as  well  as  argument.  These, 
constituting  his  chief  imagery,  were  usually  grand,  far- 
reaching  and  widespreading.  Scripture  facts,  precepts 
and  promises  seemed  to  be  connected  with  them  as 
naturally  as  flowers  and  fruits  with  the  trees  of  the 
orchard.  Uniting  by  their  means  the  present  with  the 
past,  one  dispensation  or  institution  of  religion  with 
another,  and  earth  with  heaven,  he  enlarged  every  one's 
conceptions  of  the  plans  of  the  infinite  Creator  in  the 
remedial  system,  and  through  his  varied  and  striking 
associations  of  thought  produced  the  most  profound  and 
indelible  impressions.  And  it  is  in  this  connection  that 
a  peculiar  trait  in  Mr.  Campbell's  character  as  a  man 
may  be  particularly  mentioned — viz.,  the  total  absence 
of  any  disposition  to  self-applause.  On  these  occasions, 
after  holding  for  hours  the  most  crowded  and  intelligent 
audiences  in  rapt  attention,  and  amidst  the  most  un- 
equivocal indications  of  unbounded  admiration,  he  re- 
tained constantly  the  most  unassuming  gentleness,  and 
seemed  ever  wholly  unconscious  that  he  had  accom- 
plished anything  remarkable  or  performed  more  than  a 
simple  duty.  Preserving  ever  his  humbleness  of  mind, 
he  was  insensible  to  flattery,  and  seemed  constantly  so 
impressed  with  the  great  truths  he  delivered  that  no 
compliments  could  extract  from  him  more  than  an  ex- 


ADDRESS   TO  CONGRESS  S^l 

pression  of  grateful  thanksgiving  for  having  been 
allowed  the  privilege  of  presenting  them  to  others. 

After  leaving  Louisville  he  visited  Shelbyville,  New 
Castle  and  Frankfort,  where  he  delivered  discourses,  as 
he  did  also  at  Versailles  and  Midway,  where  he  was 
glad  to  find  the  Orphan  School  commencing  its  career 
under  favorable  auspices.  Happy  in  the  company  of 
the  devoted  John  T.  Johnson,  he  came  to  Georgetown, 
where  he  spoke  three  times,  and  went  from  thence  to 
Lexington  and  delivered  discourses  there  and  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  thence  proceeded  to  Danville  and 
other  points  in  Central  Kentucky.  After  visiting  Madi- 
son county,  he  returned  again  to  Lexington  and  Mid- 
way, and  thence  to  Old  Union,  where  he  spent  a 
pleasant  time  with  the  excellent  J.  A.  Gano,  who  had 
recently  been  bereaved  of  his  beloved  and  only 
daughter,  the  amiable  wife  of  Noah  Spears  who  had 
been  a  student  at  Bethany  College.  From  thence  he 
proceeded  to  Paris,  where  he  met  many  of  his  old  ac- 
quaintances, among  whom  were  the  veterans  John  Smith 
and  John  Rodgers.  Here,  also,  he  found  Aylett  Raines 
still  laboring  and  much  beloved  for  his  work's  sake, 
arid  upon  going  to  Mayslick  had  the  pleasure  to  meet 
there  Walter  Scott,  who  agreed  to  accompany  him  to 
Bethany,  for  which  he  sailed  from  Maysville  on  the 
loth  of  February,  reaching  home  in  less  than  two  days. 
During  this  tour  of  fourteen  weeks  he  had  traveled  one 
thousand  six  hundred  miles,  delivered  fifty-five  public 
discourses  and  obtained  subscriptions  for  the  endowment 
of  the  college  to  the  amount  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars. 

In  the  latter  part  of  May,  1850,  he  made  an  excur- 
sion also  to  Baltimore,  and  while  there  received  a 
pressing  invitation  from  both  Houses  of  Congress  to  de- 
liver to  Ihem  an  address  in  the  Capitol  on  the  2d  of 


588         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

June.  Being  introduced  into  the  House  of  Represent- 
atives by  Mr.  Phelps  of  Missouri,  he  found  it  full  to 
overflowing,  and,  after  a  hymn  and  prayer,  addressed 
the  assembly  from  John  iii.  17,  exhibiting  the  divine 
philanthropy  in  contrast  with  patriotism  and  human 
friendship,  reasoning  in  a  grand  and  masterly  manner 
from  creation,  providence,  divine  legislation  and  human 
redemption,  and  holding  the  audience  in  the  most  fixed 
attention  during  the  time  of  the  address,  which  occupied 
an  hour  and  a  half.  After  examining,  on  the  following 
day,  various  matters  of  interest  at  Washington,  he  re- 
turned to  speak  in  Baltimore,  which  he  left  next  morn- 
ing for  home. 

About  this  time  a  difficulty  arose  in  the  American 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society  in  regard  to  a  proposition  to 
translate  (ianuZo)  {ba^tizo)  in  the  foreign  versions.  Mr. 
Campbell  felt  a  great  interest  in  this  matter,  and  the 
Society  having  voted  against  it,  a  new  Bible  society 
was  formed,  which  was  called  the  **  American  Bible 
Union,"  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  and  circulating 
the  most  faithful  versions  of  the  sacred  Scriptures  in  all 
tongues  throughout  the  world.  This  enterprise,  so  con- 
sonant with  Mr.  Campbell's  views  and  feelings,  imme- 
diately engaged  his  earnest  co-operation.  He  delivered, 
by  request,  an  address,  in  October,  1850,  to  the  first 
anniversary  meeting  of  the  "Union"  in  New  York, 
showing  the  need  of  an  improved  English  version  of 
the  Bible ;  and  he  not  only  contributed  liberally  to  the 
funds  of  the  '* Union,"  but  used  his  influence  with  great 
effect  in  promoting  its  interests. 

After  delivering  the  above-mentioned  address,  he  paid 
a  visit  to  ex-Consul  Buchannan  in  Canada  West,  return- 
ing through  the  State  of  Ohio ;  and  after  spending  only 
one  week  at  home,  again  set  out,  in  company  with  his 


SUPPORT  OF  THE   GOSPEL,  589 

daughter  Virginia,  upon  a  tour  of  forty  days  in  the 
West.  At  Cincinnati  he  attended  the  anniversary  of 
the  Missionary  Society,  and  then  visited  Madison  and 
many  other  points  in  Indiana  to  which  appointments 
had  been  forwarded.  Everywhere  the  people  mani- 
fested the  greatest  anxiety  to  hear,  and  no  place  could 
be  found  large  enough  to  accommodate  the  assemblies. 
At  Indianapolis,  the  governor  and  the  whole  State  con- 
vention, then  assembled  in  order  to  remodel  the  State 
constitution,  attended  his  meeting,  and  he  was  officially 
invited  next  morning  to  open  the  convention.  Here, 
among  the  members,  he  was  pleased  to  meet  Robert 
Dale  Owen,  by  whom  he  was  very  kindly  received. 
Accompanied  by  Brother  O'Kane,  he  visited  Bloom- 
ington,  where  he  was  pleased  to  renew  his  acquaintance 
with  his  old  friend.  Dr.  Andrew  Wylie,  and  enjoyed  the 
Christian  hospitality  of  the  excellent  J.  M.  Mathes,  then 
editing  the  *'  Christian  Record."  At  Bedford  he  spoke 
in  a  Presbyterian  meeting-house,  and  at  Brookeville,  in 
a  Methodist  chapel,  after  which  he  spent  the  night  with 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Potter,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
at  Brook ville,  a  graduate  of  Princeton  and  a  gentleman 
of  liberal  views. 

He  was  much  gratified  with  this  visit  to  Indiana. 
His  health  and  spirits  were  by  this  time  pretty  well  re- 
stored, and  he  was  delighted  to  find  the  cause  of  the 
Reformation  prospering  everywhere  under  the  labors 
of  able  preachers,  such  as  George  Campbell,  Elders 
Goodwin,  Hoshour,  L.  H.  Jameson,  O'Kane  and  others. 
He  was  also  charmed  with  the  kindness  and  hospitality 
of  the  brotherhood. 

"  They  would  not  allow  me,"  said  he,  "  to  be  at  any  ex- 
pense from  the  day  I  put  myself  upon  the  soil  till  the  day  I 
left  it.     I  do  not  generally  allow  it  to  be  so  done  to  me  ;  but 

60 


59°        AfEMOfRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

in  this  case  I  wns  anticipated  at  every  point,  and  could  not 
have  the  privileges  of  bearing  either  in  whole  or  in  part  my 
traveling  expenses."  Fearful,  however,  that  his  early  adopted 
practice  of  preaching  the  gospel  without  charge  might  lead 
to  a  neglect  of  duty  on  the  part  of  the  churches  toward  those 
who  labored  in  the  gospel,  he  adds :  "I  do  not  speak  so 
either  because  it  was  so  done  to  me,  or  because  I  desired  it 
to  be  so  done,  but  because  it  ought  to  be  so  done  in  many 
cases  where  it  is  not,  and  because  this  fruit  of  Christian  faith 
is  most  acceptable  to  the  Lord  and  all  his  people.  Such 
sacrifices  are  indeed  most  honorable  to  the  brotherhood,  be- 
cause most  expressive  of  the  estimate  which  they  put  upon 
the  gospel  itself,  and  upon  those  who  devote  their  lives  to  its 
dissemination  and  success." 

During  his  recent  tours  nothing  was  more  striking 
than  the  change  in  the  deportment  of  the  religious 
parties  toward  him.  Such  was  now  the  decided  tone  of 
public  sentiment  and  the  desire  to  hear  Mr.  Campbell 
that  everywhere  they  freely  opened  their  meeting-houses, 
which  it  would  have  been  extremely  unpopular,  if  not, 
in  some  cases,  unsafe  to  have  refused,  and  were  com- 
pelled to  pay  a  reluctant  tribute  to  the  transcendent 
abilities  of  one  whom  formerly  they  had  maligned  and 
feared. 

About  this  time  Mr.  Campbell  received  earnest  in- 
vitations to  pay  another  visit  to  Great  Britain,  where, 
from  the  abiding  impression  left  upon  the  minds  of  the 
people  by  his  former  labors  there  and  the  removal  of 
prejudice,  the  friends  of  the  Reformation  anticipated 
great  changes  in  religious  society.  With  this  invita- 
tion he  felt  strongly  disposed  to  comply,  but  from  the 
claims  of  the  college  and  his  desire  to  obtain  a  com- 
plete endowment  he  was  compelled  to  postpone  his 
visit,  and  to  devote  much  of  his  time  ever}'  season  to 
regions  nearer,  home.      His  earnest  desire  rightly  to 


I 


BBTHANT  COLLEGE,  59' 

appropriate   his  time    may  be  seen   in    the  following 
letter : 

"Bethany,  December  4,  185a 
"  Beloved  Brother  Coleman  : 

"  My  very  dear  sir  :  Your  kind  and  very  acceptable 
letter  of  the  2d  ulto.  has  been  handed  to  me  by  Brother 
Pendleton.  I  have  recently  returned  from  a  tour  of  forty 
days  to  Ohio,  Kentucky  and  Indiana,  during  which  I  traveled 
some  sixteen  hundred  miles,  and  delivered  some  thirty-eight 
discourses,  besides  as  many  long  conversations.  Fatigued, 
exhausted,  worn-out,  I  feel  like  one  that  has  violated  the  first 
commandment  of  human  nature — self-preservation.  Before 
this,  after  one  week's  stay  at  home,  I  had  been  to  New  York 
and  the  East  twenty-four  days,  traveled  fourteen  hundred  miles, 
and  made  some  eight  discourses — in  all  sixty-four  days,  three 
thousand  miles  and  forty-four  discourses. 

*'  I  am  now  endeavoring  to  write  a  little  for  the  M.  H., 
and  to  lecture  daily  in  the  college,  which  is  now  in  success- 
ful operation.  I  feel  a  strong  desire  to  visit  Richmond  to  see 
my  much-beloved  and  esteemed  brethren  in  Eastern  Virginia. 
But,  alas !  I  cannot,  notwithstanding  their  desire  to  see  me 
and  my  desire  to  see  them,  which,  in  the  absence  of  other 
criteria,  I  hold  to  be  equal.  My  duties  at  college  and  to  the 
'  Harbinger,'  in  my  judgment,  sternly  veto  my  leaving  home 
for  a  two  weeks'  tour  to  the  Old  Dominion.  I  never  in  my 
life  before  felt  myself  so  embarrassed  between  two  such  rival 
claims.  Of  the  two  sets  of  arguments,  pro  and  con.,  the  latter 
preponderates,  and  I  must  forego  the  double  pleasure  of  pleas- 
ing and  being  pleased  with  such  a  visit  as  I  anticipate  it 
would  be.  All  I  can  sav  is,  I  desire  and  intend,  the  Lord 
willing,  to  make  my  first  protracted  visit  to  Richmond.  But 
I  cannot  say  at  this  moment  when  it  may  be.  It  will  be  just 
as  sootl  as  I  can,  without  censure  at  home  and  abroad  j  make  it. 

'^  Bethany  College  has  paramount  claims  on  me  and  on  all 
the  friends  of  the  cause  to  which  I  have  consecrated  my  .life. 
To  further  it  abroad  and  build  it  up  at  home,  in  raising  up 
men  for  the  field  when  I  shall  be  absent  from  this  planet, 


592         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL. 

seems  to  me  a  paramount  duty.  We  have  already  in  the  field 
some  of  its  first  fruits,  and  they  are  an  offering  most  accept- 
able to  the  aggregate  of  all  who  hear  them.  We  want  a  thou- 
sand men  in  the  field  of  the  world,  and  another  thousand  in 
the  vineyard  of  the  Lord — preachers  worthy  of  the  gospel 
and  of  the  age,  and  teachers  worthy  of  the  Bible  and  of  the 
Church.  The  brethren  pray  to  the  Lord  and  to  us  to  send 
them  help.  Oh,  that  they  would  help  us  to  help  them !  .  .  . 
I  hope  my  dear  Brother  Coleman  may  find  his  way  open  to 
visit  Bethany  before  a  long  time.  I  often  think  of  the  pleas- 
ant days  we  have  spent  together,  and  long  for  such  a  com- 
panionship as  we  have  enjoyed,  I  sympathize  with  you  in 
all  your  trials  and  afflictions,  but  I  rejoice  that  my  confidence 
and  affection  always  grow,  even  when  you  are  tried  by  rough 
spirits,  whose  zeal  for  their  own  offspring  holds  in  abeyance 
the  more  lovely  attributes  which  adorn  our  fallen  humanity, 
and  with  which  the  Holy  Spirit  beautifies  those  who  cheer- 
fully and  courteously  open  to  him  the  door  of  their  hearts. 
Rest  assured,  my  dear  brother,  that  you  have  a  large  space  in 
the  affections  of  us  all  at  Bethany,  and  our  prayers  for  your 
health,  happiness  and  usefulness.     Yours,  in  the  one  hope, 

''  A.  Campbell." 

About  this  time  death  deprived  Mr.  Campbell  of 
the  last  of  his  children  by  his  first  wife,  his  amiable 
daughter  Clarinda,  who  had  become  the  second  wife  of 
Professor  Pendleton  in  July,  1848,  and  died  on  the  loth 
of  January,  1851,  leaving  two  children,  one  of  whom 
died  soon  afler  its  mother. 

On  the  1st  of  August  of  this  year  (1851)  he  left 
home,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Campbell,  to  attend  the 
annual  meetings  of  Ohio.  Meeting  with  Walter  Scott 
at  Wellsville,  he  proceeded  to  New  Lisbon,  where  an 
immense  meeting  was  held  under  the  large  tent  used 
for  such  purposes,  where  Walter  Scott  delivered  three 
eloquent  discourses  to  the  community  to  which,  some 
five-and-tvventy  years  before,   he  had  first  practically 


UTILITY  OF  CONVENTIONS.  593 

presented  the  great  promises  of  the  gospel.  On  the 
Lord's  day  Mr.  Campbell  spoke  in  a  masterly  manner 
from  the  Diyine  Oracle  at  the  transfiguration,  and  on 
Monday,  Isaac  Errett,  now  becoming  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  preachers  and  writers  of  the  Reformation, 
gave  an  elegant  address  upon  the  subject  of  obedience, 
and  in  the  evening,  in  town,  spoke  again  with  great 
power  upon  the  trial  of  Christ.  At  this  meeting  fifty- 
two  persons  were  baptized.  Mr.  Campbell  attended 
also  the  meeting  at  Bedford,  where  there  was  a  very 
large  attendance,  some  two  thousand  persons  partaking 
of  the  communion  on  the  Lord's  day.  Here  twenty-five 
persons  were  added  to  the  church.  He  attended  also 
another  meeting  in  a  beautiful  grove  near  Wooster, 
where  he  spoke  daily  for  four  days,  and  where  he  was 
much  pleased  with  the  progress  of  the  cause. 

After  spending  a  short  time  at  home  he  went  to  the 
missionary  meeting  in  Cincinnati.  The  society  having 
lately  sent  the  amiable  and  devoted  Dr.  J.  T«  Barclay 
as  a  missionary  to  Jerusalem,  Mr.  Campbell  found  an 
increasing  interest  on  the  subject  of  missions  amongst 
the  brethren,  and  an  improvement  in  liberality  which 
he  labored  earnestly  to  promote.  He  had  also  a  very 
happy  meeting  with  the  brotherhood  at  the  annual 
State  convention  assembled  at  Lexington.  He  insisted 
greatly  at  this  period  upon  the  importance  of  such  con- 
ventions, in  order  that  the  churches  might  work  effect- 
ively in  the  great  fields  of  labor  which  were  assigned 
to  them  ;  and  though  some  were  fearful  that  such  organ- 
ized bodies  might  assume  to  exercise  authority  over  the 
churches  or  otherwise  misuse  their  powers,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell steadily  advocated  them  as  essential  to  eflfective 
action  and  as  not  involving  necessarily  any  such  abuse. 

In  April  of  the  following  year  (1852)  he  attended,  in 

VOL.  1I.--2  N  60  » 


594         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL. 

company  with  Brethren  Challen  and  Petigrew,  a  mem- 
orable convention  of  the  friends  of  the  Bible  Union  at 
Memphis,  Tennessee,  where  he  found  himself  brought 
into  communication  with  a  number  of  eminent  persons, 
some  of  whom  had  been  formerly  much  prejudiced 
against  him,  but  who  were  now  co-operating  with  him 
in  favor  of  pure  versions  of  the  Scriptures.  Among 
these  were  J.  L.  Waller,  of  Kentucky,  and  Dr.  Archi- 
bald McClay,  of  New  York,  who  seemed  quite  to  have 
overcome  their  hostile  feelings. 

"  It  was,"  said  he,  "  an  extraordinary  assembly  of  its 
character,  in  its  aims,  its  subject  and  in  its  success.  If  ever  we 
have  seen  the  hand  of  the  Lord  manifested  in  any  convention, 
in  any  deliberations,  in  any  grand  result,  it  was  displayed  in 
the  occasion,  the  details  and  issues  of  this  memorable  meeting. 
We  cannot  but  anticipate  a  glorious  result.  If  we  were 
sanguine  while  writing  our  address  for  this  convention,  we 
are  much  more  sanguine  now  on  seeing  its  progress,  its 
unanimity  and  its  results.'* 

The  address  which  Mr.  Campbell  delivered  on  this 
occasion  gives  a  fine  specimen  of  his  argumentative 
powers,  of  his  ability  to  take  extended  views  and  to 
render  things  near  and  remote  tributarj'^  to  tis  main 
design.  The  first  paragraph  is  in  itself  a  complete 
illustration  of  his  comprehensive  and  far-reaching  grasp 
of  mind,  as  well  as  of  his  tendency  to  the  use  of  analogy. 
Speaking  from  the  text,  •*  God  said.  Let  there  be  light, 
and  light  was,"  he  began  thus  : 

"  This  was  the  first  speech  ever  made  within  our  universe. 
It  is  indeed  the  most  sublime  and  potent  speech  ever  made. 
It  is,  however,  but  the  expression  of  an  intelligent  omnipo- 
tent volition.  It  was  pregnant  with  all  the  elements  of  a 
material  creation.  It  was  a  beautiful  portraiture  of  its  author, 
prospective  of  all  the  developments  of  Creation,  Providence 
and  Redemption.     It  was  a  Bible  in  miniature,  and  future 


.. 


TOUR  IN  MISSOURI,  595 

glory  in  embryo.  We  therefore  place  it  as  the  motto  of  an 
address  upon  the  greatest  question  and  work  of  our  age. 
Shall  we  have  the  light  of  life  as  God  created  itf^ 

In  August  of  this  year  he  delivered  an  address  to  the 
"  Philo-literary  Society"  of  Jefferson  College,  a  Pres- 
byterian institution  at  Canonsburg,  Pennsylvania.  His 
subject  was,  "The  Destiny  of  our  Country,"  and  was 
treated  in  a  highly  interesting  and  characteristic  man- 
ner. Immediately  after  a  short  excursion  to  the  annual 
meeting  at  Throopsville,  N.  Y.,  he  gave  also  in  Sep- 
tember of  this  year  (1852)  an  address  to  the  **  Wash- 
ington Literar)'  Society"  of  Washington  College,  on 
•'Phrenology,  Animal  Magnetism,  Spirit  Rappings, 
etc.,"  in  which  he  sustained  the  exclusive  claims  of  the 
Bible  as  a  divine  revelation,  showing  that  **  from  its 
last  Amen  nothing  is  to  be  added  by  any  new  revela- 
tion or  commandment  of  demon,  angel  or  man." 

The  talented  and  educated  preachers  sent  out  from 
Bethany  College  were  at  this  time  giving  a  great  im- 
pulse to  the  cause  of  the  Reformation  throughout  the 
Western  States.  New  colleges,  high  schools  and  fe- 
male seminaries  were  springing  up  under  their  influence 
to  promote  the  cause  of  the  primitive  gospel,  and  the 
churches,  sensible  of  their  indebtedness  to  Mr.  Camp- 
bell's energy  and  foresight  in  thus  providing  aids  for 
want  of  which  the  cause  had  begun  to  languish,  felt 
more  and  more  disposed  to  complete  the  endowment  of 
the  institution.  Such,  however,  was  their  attachment 
to  Mr.  Campbell,  and  such  their  desire  to  obtain  his 
personal  labors  among  them,  that  they  continued  to 
make  a  visit  from  him  a  condition  of  subscription  to  the 
funds  of  the  institution.  Thus  Missouri  promised  to 
endow  a  chair  if  he  would  make  another  tour  through 
the  State.     Having  consented  to  this,  he  left  Bethany 


59^         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

on  the  28th  of  October,  1852,  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Campbell  as  far  as  St.  Louis,  visiting  on  the  way  sev- 
eral points  in  Illinois,  and  having  several  narrow 
escapes  from  railroad  accidents  and  other  disasters. 
Commencing  at  Hannibal,  he  made  quite  an  extended 
tour  through  Missouri.  At  Hannibal  he  met  with  one 
of  the  most  gifted  speakers  of  the  Reformation,  Dr. 
Hopson,  who  was  then  engaged  in  a  female  seminary 
at  Palmyra.  From  Hannibal,  accompanied  by  Brother 
Procter,  an  excellent  speaker  and  graduate  of  Bethany 
College,  he  proceeded  to  Paris,  where  he  was  joined 
by  Thomas  M.  Allen,  who,  with  Brother  Procter,  had 
been  appointed  to  conduct  him  through  the  State,  and 
through  whose  aid  and  influence  much  good  was  done 
and  a  liberal  subscription  obtained  for  the  college. 

Among  the  many  public  laborers  of  whom  he  makes 
kindly  mention  in  his  notes  was  Prince  L.  Hudgens, 
an  eminent  lawyer  and  preacher  in  Savannah,  Missouri, 
exercising  a  widespread  influence.  Here  a  young 
man  who  was  preparing  for  the  Presbyterian  ministry 
came  forward  and  was  immersed.  At  Camden  Point 
he  addressed  the  female  seminary  there,  in  which  there 
were  some  one  hundred  and  forty  young  ladies,  under 
the  care  of  Brother  H.  B.  Todd.  Here  he  was  met  by 
J.  Petigrew,  who  had  been  pastor  of  the  Berean  Bap- 
tist church  in  Pittsburg,  but  who  had  some  time  before 
come  into  the  Reformation,  of  which,  from  his  superior 
education  and  abilities,  he  became  a  popular  and  suc- 
cessful advocate.  At  Liberty  he  met  with  his  devoted 
friend,  Colonel  Doniphan,  and  with  a  graduate  of  Beth- 
any College,  M.  E.  Lard,  who  had  been  sent  to  college 
through  Colonel  Doniphan's  instrumentality,  and  was 
rapidly  becoming  one  of  the  most  distinguished  writers 
and  speakers  in  the  cause.     He  met  also  in  Howard 


EDUCA  TION  OF  AN  INDIAN.  S9l 

with  J.  W.  McGarvey,  another  graduate  of  the  college; 
also  already  noted  for  his  fine  abilities.  At  Columbia 
he  addressed,  by  invitation,  the  young  ladies  of  Chris- 
tian College,  under  the  care  of  the  accomplished  J.  A. 
Williams.  He  visited  also  the  University  of  Missouri, 
over  which  James  Shannon  now  presided,  and  delivered 
here  two  discourses  to  large  assemblies. 

Having  received  a  very  special  invitation  from  the 
members  of  the  Legislature,  then  in  session  at  Jefferson 
City,  to  address  them,  he  spoke  there  twice  to  large 
audiences  in  the  Capitol  on  religious  topics  on  the  Lord's 
day,  and  on  Monday  forenoon  delivered  a  lecture  on 
education,  to  hear  which  the  Legislature  adjourned  its 
session  to  the  afternoon.  In  order  to  make  this  visit  he 
was  obliged  to  disappoint  the  brethren  in  Louisville, 
Missouri,  who  expected  him.  As  they  refused  to  ex- 
cuse him,  he  was  compelled  to  pay  them  a  special  visit 
subsequently,  when  on  a  tour  through  Illinois.  After 
many  difficulties  and  much  exposure,  owing  to  the  state 
of  the  roads  and  the  weather,  he  at  length  reached  St. 
Louis,  on  his  return,  in  the  latter  part  of  December,  and 
after  giving  a  few  lectures  in  this  city,  made  his  way 
through  fields  of  ice  in  the  Mississippi  to  the  more  open 
navigation  of  the  Ohio,  and  reached  home  after  an 
absence  of  seventy-six  days  and  a  laborious  journey  of 
twenty-eight  hundred  miles. 

Feeling  much  sympathy  for  the  Indian  race,  he,  dur- 
ing this  tour,  obtained  a  boy  of  the  Iowa  tribe  from 
among  them,  with  the  consent  of  his  relatives,  in  order 
to  educate  him.  He  became  at  once  a  member  of  Mr. 
Campbell's  family,  and  was  sent  to  school,  enjoying 
every  advantage  of  secular  and  religious  instruction. 
He  seemed  to  have  a  good  capacity  and  kind  disposi- 
tion, and  although  too  much  given  to  sport  to  make  the 


/ 


/ 


• 


/ 


598         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL, 

best  use  of  his  opportunities,  obtained,  in  the  course  of 
some  eight  or  nine  years,  a  pretty  good  knowledge  of 
the  elementary  English  branches,  and  could  read  and 
write  with  readiness.  When  a  young  man  grown,  it 
was  thought  expedient  for  him  to  return  to  the  West  to 
obtain  his  share  of  the  lands  allotted  to  his  tribe ;  soon 
after  which  he  married  and  settled  in  Nebraska,  and  by 
his  letters  seems  still  to  cherish  in  grateful  remembrance 
the  benefits  he  received  from  Mr.  Campbell. 

Still  intent  on  obtaining  endowment  for  the  college, 
in  May,  1853,  he  set  out  by  way  of  Baltimore  for  Eastern 
Virginia.  After  a  very  pleasant  meeting  at  Tappa- 
hannock  church,  where  there  was  much  good  preach- 
ing by  Brothers  S.  Shelburne,  A.  B.  Walthall,  R.  L. 
Coleman  and  J.  W.  Goss,  and  where  Mr.  Campbell 
himself  spoke  two  or  three  times,  he  went  on  to  Rich- 
mond, where  the  church  was  flourishing  under  the  care, 
at  this  time,  of  R.  L.  Coleman.  Passing  thence,  by 
way  of  Louisa,"  to  Caroline  county,  he  was  met  by  the 
excellent  R.  Y.  Henley,  and  on  the  following  day  ad- 
dressed a  large  assembly  at  Antioch  church.  After 
speaking  again  in  King-and-Queen  county,  he  set  out 
on  his  return  by  way  of  Philadelphia,  where  he  ad- 
dressed large  audiences  in  the  new  church  building  just 
completed.  Passing  through  Pittsburg,  he  visited,  be- 
fore returning  home,  some  points  in  Ohio,  as  Cleve- 
land, Wyandotte  and  Mount  Vernon.  In  the  latter 
place  there  was  no  building  sufficiently  large  to  accom- 
modate the  crowd,  the  capacious  railroad  depAt  even, 
which  had  been  seated  for  the  purpose  and  held  three 
thousand  persons,  being  found  insufficient.  Here  he 
had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  D.  S.  Burnet,  who  aided 
in  the  meeting  and  continued  it  after  his  departure,  with 
a  large  number  of  accessions. 


CHURCH  EDIFICATION.  599 

In  September,  of  this  year  (1853)  Mr.  Campbell  de- 
livered an  address  before  the  Kentucky  convention  of 
churches,  held  at  Harrodsburg,  upon  the  subject  of 
church  edification.  In  this  address  he  strongly  objected 
to  the  custom  into  which  some  churches  had  fallen,  of 
depending  too  much  upon  itinerant  preachers,  and  neg- 
lecting to  call  forth  and  employ  the  gifts  of  their  own 
members  in  mutual  exhortation  and  instruction.  He 
dwelt  much  upon  the  importance  of  a  proper  eldership 
to  teach  and  exhort  from  house  to  house  and  watch  over 
the  spiritual  interests  of  the  flock.  He  also  urged  the 
diligent  study  of  the  Bible  divided  into  regular  lessons, 
with  suitable  weekly  lectures  from  a  competent  teacher. 
He  was  not  in  favor  of  having  individual  churches  very 
large.  He  regarded  efforts  to  commend  the  truth  to 
men  by  an  imposing  array  of  numbers,  and  especially  by 
means  of  fine  meeting-houses  and  rhetorical  harangues, 
as  savoring  of  a  worldly  spirit  and  pregnant  with  evil. 
He  therefore  preferred  small  churches,  in  which  Chris- 
tian simplicity,  fraternal  intercourse  and  mutual  edifica- 
tion could  be  best  secured. 

^^  No  persons,"  said  he,  ^'  should  belong  to  any  particular 
congregation  who  cannot  conveniently  meet  with  their  brethren 
every  Lord's  day ;  and  the  fact  of  their  being  able  to  meet 
every  Lord's  day  with  the  brethren  is  the  rule  which  decides 
to  what  congregation  they  should  belong.  These  small  be- 
ginnings, scattered  over  a  district  of  country,  tend  to  give  a 
larger  increase  of  disciples  annually  than  if  the  same  number 
which  meet  weekly  in  three  or  four  places  met  irregularly  in 
one  place.  The  simplicity,  humility  and  brotherly  kindness 
which  appear  in  these  small  assemblies,  and  the  more  rapid 
progress  which  the  disciples  make  in  Christian  knowledge, 
faith  and  love,  from  more  of  them  being  called  upon  to  take 
a  part  in  the  Christian  worship,  are  greater  auxiliaries  to  the 
spread  of  the  gospel,  more  powerful  arguments  for  the  truth 


6oo        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

and  recommendations  of  the  excellency  of  the  Christian  insti- 
tution, than  an  immense  pile  of  stone,  brick  or  wood  w^ith 
the  ornaments  of  architecture,  called  a  church  or  meeting- 
house, filled  with  an  assembly  of  carnal  worshipers  in  all  the 
pomp  and  pageantry  of  the  lusts  of  the  eye  and  the  pride  of 
life,  w*aiting  upon  a  parson  ;  all  of  whom,  save  one  consecrated 
tongue,  are  dumb  in  the  Christian  worship." 

The  temperance  cause,  also,  which  was  attracting 
great  attention  at  this  time,  received  his  earnest  sanction 
and  approval. 

"  We  ought,"  said  he,  "  we  must,  as  men,  as  philanthropists 
and  as  Christians,  meet  this  monster,  this  insatiate  murderer 
of  our  species,  and  break  the  arm,  the  puissant  arm,  that 
spreads  poverty,  moral  desolation  and  ruin  through  all  ranks 
and  conditions  of  men. 

"  The  '  Maine  Law,'  as  appears  to  us,  is  the  most  effective, 
perhaps  the  only  effective  remedy  of  this  prolific  and  mani- 
fold evil.  Certainly  it  greatly  transcends  all  other  means  and 
attempts  to  crush  and  annihilate  the  monster."  While  he 
conceived  that  the  whole  subject  of  temperance,  in  its  religious 
bearings,  belonged  to  the  ministry  of  the  Churchy  he  fully 
recognized  the  right  of  the  State  to  guard  its  welfare  by  pro- 
hibiting the  sale  of  ardent  spirits.  "  This,"  said  he,  *'  is  the 
most  rational,  plausible  and  efficient  effort  yet  made  in  our 
whole  horizon  beyond  the  direct  influence  of  the  Christian 
ministry.  To  such  of  our  readers,"  said  he,  "  who  reside  in 
the  State  in  which  efforts  in  this  good  cause  are  being  'made, 
we  would  add,  that  the  cause  of  piety  and  humanity  which 
-we  plead  demands  the  most  vigorous  and  persevering  efforts 
in  aid  of  this  grand  reform,  while  in  progress,  and  to  be  the 
foremost  in  introducing  it  into  those  States  in  which  no  move, 
at  present,  in  that  direction  has  yet  been  made." 

In  the  fall  he  delivered  an  address  to  the  Christian 
Missionary  Society,  of  which  he  was  still  president,  in 
which  he  dwelt  earnestly  upon  the  importance  of  mis- 
sions both  at  home  and  abroad,  and  urged  a  general 


TOUR  IN  ILLINOIS.  6oi 

co-operation  on  the  part  of  the  brotherhood  for  the  con- 
version of  the  world.  He  did  not  regard  conventions 
or  societies,  composed  of  messengers  of  the  churches, 
as  independent  bodies  or  as  taking  out  of  the  hands  of 
the  churches  the  duties  to  be  performed,  but  considered 
them  as  mere  instrumentalities  employed  by  the  Church 
at  large  for  the  accomplishment  of  important  ends  de- 
manding mutual  assistance,  counsel  and  co-operation. 
Immediately  after  this  address  at  Cincinnati,  he  trav- 
ersed the  State  of  Illinois,  and  fulfilled,  also,  his  former^ 
engagement  to  visit  the  brethren  at  Louisville,  Missouri. 
Of  this  trip  he  gave  an  account  in  the  **  Harbinger,"  in 
a  series  of  letters  addressed  to  Mrs.  Campbell,  which 
he  thus  introduces : 

"  If  Paul  to  the  Romans  greets  Priscilla  as  a  helper  in 
Christ — Julia  and  Mary,  who  bestowed  much  labor  on  him 
and  his  companions— Nereus,  too,  and  his  sister — being  fully 
persuaded  that  you  belong  to  that  class,  and  fully  rank  with 
them,  I  am  constrained,  by  the  authority  of  such  examples,  to 
address  to  you,  and  through  you  to  my  readers,  a  few  notes  of 
my  tour  and  labors  in  behalf  of  the  Bible  in  the  college,  and 
of  a  well-educated  Christian  ministry. 

*'  This  is  due  to  you,  my  dear  fellow-helper  in  this  work, 
because  of  your  many  sacrifices  in  ease  and  comfort  in  minis- 
tering to  the  necessities  of  the  saints,  and  to  the  entertainment 
of  many  a  sojourner  and  Christian  pilgrim  in  the  rites  and 
usages  of  Christian  hospitality,  and  because  of  your  oflen- 
expressed  desire  to  see  the  standard  of  ministerial  accom- 
plishments much  higher  elevated  amongst  us  as  a  people." 

During  this  tour  he  filled  numerous  appointments  in 
Illinois,  and,  being  compelled  to  travel  by  night,  in 
an  open  buggy,  across  the  prairies  amidst  storms,  in 
order  to  reach  his  appointments  in  Missouri,  was  while 
there  taken  seriously  ill,  but,  by  the  skillful  aid  of  Dr. 
B.  W.  Gorin,  was  relieved  in  time  to  meet  his  subse- 

51 


6o2        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

quent  appointments  in  Illinois.  Throughout  the  State 
he  addressed  immense  audiences,  and  received  liberal 
contributions  for  the  endowment  of  the  chair  of  chem- 
istry in  Bethany  College.  At  Carrollton,  he  spoke  in  a 
Methodist  chapel,  the  largest  house  in  the  village,  and 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  the  Elder  W.  J.  Rutledge. 

"  He  is,"  said  Mr.  Campbell,  "  a  very  able  and  efficient 
Methodist  teacher,  and  about  to  remove  to  Bloom ing^ton.  At 
night  we  heard  a  part  of  his  valedictory  address  to  his  charge. 
It  was  a  very  appropriate  and  able  address.  After  my  morn- 
ing address  in  his  own  house,  he  asked  permission  to  say  a 
few  words  in  aid  of  my  special  mission.  He  made  a  very 
appropriate  and  elective,  though  short,  address.  ...  In 
urging  liberality  in  the  cause  of  education,  he  appealed  to  our 
brotherhood  on  their  own  premises,  exhorting  them  to  carry 
out  their  superior  faith  and  doctrine  by  a  superior  liberality." 

He  received  on  this  tour  able  assistance  from  Brethren 
Jacob  Creath,  Jr.,  D.  P.  Henderson,  A.  P.  Jones  and 
others,  and  returned  much  pleased  with  the  progress  of 
the  cause  and  the  improved  liberality  of  the  churches  in 
behalf  of  their  literary  and  benevolent  institutions. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

Spiritualism — Death  of  prominent  laborers — Bible  union — Visit  to  Nash- 
ville— "  Campbellism  Examined  " — Revision  of  Acts — ^Tours. 

ANOTHER  defection  marked,  about  this  period, 
the  course  of  the  reformatory  movement.  As  this 
former  one  was  in  the  direction  of  materialism,  this 
took  that  of  spiritualism.  Both,  however,  were  alike 
palpable  departures  from  the  fundamental  principles  of 
the  Reformation,  which  peremptorily  inhibited  doctrinal 
speculation,  and  both  were  with  equal  readiness  de- 
tected and  exposed  by  the  simple  teachings  of  the  word 
of  God,  which  proved  no  less  adequate  to  the  prompt 
correction  of  error  than  to  the  inculcation  of  religious 
truth. 

A  young  man  called  Jesse  B.  Ferguson,  who  for 
some  years  had  labored  quite  acceptably  in  the  cause 
of  the  Reformation,  became  at  last  the  regular  preacher 
at  Nashville,  Tennessee,  where  he  published  also  a 
monthly  magazine.  Being  extremely  fluent,  of  popular 
manners  and  considerable  oratorical  power,  he  soon 
acquired  very  great  influence,  and  rose  to  such  a 
height  in  the  estimation  of  his  hearers,  and  especially 
in  his  own,  that  his  head  became  giddy,  and,  being  no 
longer  able  to  preserve  his  religious  equilibrium,  he 
was  precipitated  doctrinally  into  the  regions  of  departed 
spirits,  where  he  immediately  attempted  to  immortalize 
himself  by  new  discoveries.     His  roving  fancy  accord- 

603 


6o4        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL, 

ingly  soon  found  in  these  realms  of  the  dead  what  he 
supposed  to  be  a  vast  field  for  missionary  enterprise, 
and  he  began  to  fill  his  magazine  with  the  doctrine 
that  in  the  state  intermediate  between  death  and  the 
resurrection  those  who  had  died  unrepentant  would 
have  another  opportunity  of  hearing  and  obeying  the 
gospel.  Conceiving  that,  according  to  the  teaching  of 
Peter,  *♦  Christ  went  and  preached **  to  such  "spirits  in 
prison,"  he  seemed  to  cherish  the  hope  that  he  himself 
might  hereafter  in  those  shadowy  realms  be  chosen  as 
an  apostle  of  this  post-mortem  gospel. 

These  speculations  no  sooner  appeared  than  Mr. 
Campbell  kindly  and  repeatedly  remonstrated  against 
t)iem  as  unscriptural  and  incompatible  with  the  Reform* 
ation  principles.  These  gentle  methods  failing,  how- 
ever, he  found  it  necessary  to  make  a  complete  expo- 
sure of  Mr.  Ferguson's  unwarrantable  proceedings  and 
of  the  flimsy  sophisms  by  which  he  was  endeavoring  to 
sustain  his  false  teaching,  and  to  lead  away  disciples 
after  him.  This  exposure  was  by  no  means  a  difficult 
task,  as  Mr.  Ferguson  possessed  no  logical  power,  but 
it  was  a  considerable  time  before  the  people  to  whom 
he  ministered  could  free  themselves  from  the  fascination 
of  his  rhetoric,  so  that,  although  discountenanced  by 
the  Reformers  in  general,  he  continued  for  some  time 
to  exercise  at  Nashville  an  unhappy  influence  over  the 
minds  of  many,  and  to  inflict  considerable  injury  on  the 
cause  of  truth. 

On  the  4th  of  January,  1854,  Thomas  Campbell 
terminated  at  Bethany  his  long  life  of  faithful  labor. 
Until  he  was  about  eighty-three  years  of  age  he  had 
continued  his  custom  of  itinerating  among  the  churches, 
which  were  always  happy  to  welcome  the  venerable 
teacher,  who  was  universally  recognized  as  the  living 


DEATH  OF  THOMAS  CAMPBELL.  605 

impersonation  of  all  the  Christian  graces.  Upon  re- 
turning from  one  of  these  excursions  in  Ohio  in  the 
summer  of  1846,  during  which  he  had  the  companion- 
ship of  J.  R.  Frame,  he  was  so  greatly  exhausted  with 
heat  and  fatigue  that  he  was  induced  through  the 
solicitation  of  his  friends  and  relatives  to  remain  thence- 
forth  at  Bethany.  After  some  two  or  three  years  he 
became  affected  with  a  dimness  of  sight,  which  in  a 
short  time  terminated  in  total  blindness — a  sad  privation 
to  one  so  social  and  so  fond  of  reading,  but  which  he 
bore  with  the  utmost  resignation.  Still  retaining,  to  a 
considerable  extent;  the  vigor  of  his  mental  faculties,  it 
was  his  delight  during  his  blindness  to  converse  with 
his  former  acquaintances,  to  recite  to  them  various 
hymns  and  passages  of  Scripture  with  which  his 
meniiory  was  stored,  and  to  comment  on  the  sentiments 
they  expressed.  He  would  often,  too,  with  his  usual 
winning  courtesy,  request  his  visitors  or  Mrs.  Camp- 
bell, whose  attentions  were  unwearied,  to  read  to  him 
certain  hymns  and  Scriptures  which  he  desired  to  hear 
or  to  memorize.  On  one  occasion,  during  the  years 
thus  spent  in  ever-during  darkness,  at  the  earnest  in- 
stance of  friends  who  desired  once  more  to  hear  him 
from  the  pulpit^  he  consented  to  deliver  a  farewell 
address.  He  preached,  accordingly,  on  the  ist  of 
June,  185 1,  in  Bethany,  to  a  large  audience,  a  last 
discourse  on  the  subject  of  the  two  great  command- 
ments— love  to  God  and  love  to  our  neighbor.  He 
was  at  this  time  in  his  eight}^-ninth  year,  and  his  health 
continued  good  until  within  some  three  weeks  of  his 
decease,  when  he  became  troubled  with  an  inflamma- 
tory affection  of  the  mouth,  inducing  loss  of  appetite 
and  great  debility.  Growing  gradually  weaker,  but 
without  acute  pain,  he  at  length  expired  so  gently  that 

61* 


1 


6o6  MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

it  was  scarcely  possible  to  distinguish  the  moment  when 
he  ceased  to  breathe.  Throughout  his  illness  and  in 
his  death  he  manifested  the  same  calm  confidence  in 
God  and  humble  reliance  on  his  Divine  Redeemer 
which  had  ever  characterized  his  life,  protracted  to 
ninety-one  years,  lacking  about  a  month.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell thus  spoke  of  the  event  in  a  letter  to  the  excellent 
Brother  Dungan,  of  Baltimore  : 

<*  Bethany,  Virginia,  January  24,  1854. 
"Brother  Dungan: 

"  My  dear  sir  :  Health,  peace  and  prosperity  to  thee  and 
thine  !  I  presume  you  may  have  already  heard  that  Father 
Campbell  has  joined  the  Church  above  and  entered  into  rest, 
where  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling  and  the  weary  are 
at  rest.  Yes,  he  has  been  introduced  to  Abraham,  Isaac  and 
Jacob,  and  to  all  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  of  which 
I  have  no  more  reason  to  doubt  than  I  have  that  he  has  va- 
cated the  family  and  the  church  at  Bethany.  What  a  balm 
for  all  our  wounds !  What  a  consolation  for  all  our  bereave- 
ments !  ^  Say  to  the  righteous  that  it  will  be  well  with  him.' 
I  never  knew  a  man,  in  all  my  acquaintance  with  men,  of 
whom  it  could  have  been  said  with  more  assurance  that  he 
'  walked  with  God.*  Such  was  the  even  tenor  of  his  path, 
not  for  a  few  years,  but  a  period  as  far  back  as  my  memory 
reaches ;  and  that  is  on  the  other  side  of  half  a  century. 
How  many  say,  '  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and 
let  my  last  days  be  like  his,'  who  nevertheless  do  not  choose 
to  live  his  life !  .  .  .  Oh  that  we  could  realize  a  little — ^yea 
much  more — of  the  riches  and  glory  of  the  saints  in  light ! 
How  contemptible  the  grandeur  and  glory  of  earth !  Well 
now  are  the  golden  moments.  Oh  that  we  could  realize  their 
value,  and  lift  our  thoughts  from  things  of  earth  and  time  to 
heaven  and  immortality !" 

On  the  14th  of  March,  a  little  more  than  two  months 
after  the  death  of  Thomas  Campbell,  the  venerable 
Jacob  Creath,  Sr.,  also  finished  his  course  with  joy. 


J 


A  FLEETING    WORLD.  607 

Strongly  resembling  the  former  in  his  devotion  to  truth, 
his  courteous  bearing  and  his  social  habits,  he  resembled 
him  also  in  the  bereavement  of  sight,  which  he  patiently 
endured  for  the  last  seven  years  of  his  life,  during 
which,  however,  he  still  preached  occasionally,  and 
took  great  delight  in  attending  meetings  and  visiting 
the  brotherhood. 

Nothing  interested  Mr.  Campbell  more  at  this  period 
than  the  operations  of  the  Bible  Union  in  the  revision  of 
the  Scriptures.  Having  himself  in  part  published  in  the 
"  Harbinger"  an  amended  version  of  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  with  a  commentary,  he  was  appointed  by  the 
Bible  Union  to  furnish  a  revision  of  this  portion  of  the 
New  Testament.  He  manifested  also  his  usual  interest 
in  the  great  subject  of  missions,  and  was  accustomed  to 
meet  with  the  A.  C.  M.  society  as  its  president  regularly 
every  year,  delivering  addresses  and  urging  increased 
liberality.  He  published  also  a  series  of  very  interest- 
ing letters  from  Dr.  J.  T.  Barclay,  the  missionary  at 
Jerusalem,  and  constantly  favored  the  extension  of  mis- 
sionary operations  to  other  parts  of  the  world.  Through 
the  efforts  of  the  devoted  Ephraim  A.  Smith,  a  colored 
missionary,  Alexander  Cross,  a  pious  and  devoted 
man,  had  already  been  sent  to  Liberia,  but  had  fallen 
a  victim  to  the  climate  from  over-exertion  soon  after  his 
arrival.  A  mission  at  Jamaica  also  was,  not  long  after, 
established,  which  produced  considerable  fruit.  While 
at  one  of  the  missionary  meetings  at  Cincinnati,  Mr. 
Campbell,  in  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Campbell,  amidst  personal 
items  and  matters  of  business,  thus  expressed  himself  in 
relation  to  the  things  which  were  ever  nearest  his  heart : 

^^  There  is  good  health  as  far  as  I  can  learn  in  this  city. 
.  .  .  But  what  a  world  of  shadows  this  is !  Nothing  real-^ 
fleeting,  fading,  dying  world  I     I  am  almost  a  stranger  here 


6o8        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

where  I  used  to  know  almost  all  persons  of  notoriety.  But 
there  is  a  world  of  grand  and  glorious  realities,  and  a  world 
of  sad  and  fearful  and  tremendous  realities.  There  is  onlv  one 
supreme  Philanthropist,  and  even  he  cannot  save  people  in 
their  sins.  He  only  saves  from  sin.  And  this  salvation 
must  begin  here  or  never.  We  are  saved  from  the  guilt,  the 
shame,  the  pollution,  the  tyranny  of  sin  in  this  world  or  never. 
Oh  that  poor  mortals  would  stop  their  mad  career  in  time ! 
Else  better  for  them  they  had  never  been.  Say  to  my  chil- 
dren. Flee,  flee,  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  seize  the 
proffered  pardon  before  the  uncertain  moment,  and  yet  cer- 
tain to  come,  overtakes  them.  Labor  not  for  the  food  that 
perishes,  but  for  that  which  endures  to  eternal  life.  .  .  Fare- 
well, my  dear  wife.     Your  affectionate  husband, 

"A.  Campbell." 

During  the  previous  year,  December  30,  1852,  Mr. 
Campbell's  eldest  son,  Alexander,  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  a  very  amiable  lady,  Miss  Mary  Ann  Purvis, 
of  Louisiana.  Toward  the  close  of  the  following  year, 
from  many  earnest  solicitations  and  from  various  cir- 
cumstances growing  out  of  the  defection  of  J.  B.  Fer- 
guson, Mr.  Campbell  was  induced  to  pay  a  visit  to 
Nashville,  on  which  occasion  he  enjoyed  the  company 
of  A.  £.  Myers,  a  successful  preacher  and  a  graduate 
of  Bethany  College.  The  following  notice  of  his  dis- 
courses, from  the  Methodist  •'Christian  Advocate  "of 
that  city,  is  expressed  in  a  courteous  and  candid  spirit : 

''  The  distinguished  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this 
article  is  now  on  a  visit  to  this  city.  We  had  an  opportu- 
nity of  hearing  him  on  last  Sabbath  morning  at  the  McKen- 
dree  Church,  which  he  occupied  by  the  courtesy  of  the  pastor 
and  trustees.  The  congregations  were  vast,  filling  the  body 
and  galleries  of  the  spacious  house.  He  ascended  the  pulpit 
at  half-past  ten  o'clock,  and  introduced  the  service  by  reading 
from  the  Holy  Scriptures,  singing  and  prayer.  It  was  mani- 
fest to   those  who  had  seen  Mr.  Campbell  in  former  years 


DISCOURSE  AT  NASHVILLE,  609 

that  his  physical  man  is  giving  way  under  the  weight  of 
years  and  labor,  and  we  doubted  his  ability  to  address  an 
audience  so  large ;  when  he  began  to  speak,  however,  it  was 
evident  that  his  voice  was  still  clear  and  strong  for  one  of  his 
years.  His  subject  was  Faith,  founded  on  the  eleventh  of 
Hebrews,  and  was  listened  to  with  profound  attention.  We 
should  be  pleased  to  give  an  extensive  analysis  of  his  dis- 
course had  we  time  and  space.  A  brief  notice  must  satisfy 
our  readers. 

^'  After  a  brief  exordium,  he  stated  as  a  leading  proposition 
that  the  whole  Christian  religion  is  founded  on  faith  ;  faith  in 
the  revelation  made  to  man  in  the  Bible — faith  in  the  doctrine 
given  by  plenary  inspiration.  He  combated  the  sentiment 
that  man,  by  reason  or  by  imagination,  could  acquire  a 
knowledge  of  divine  things  ;  the  plan  of  salvation  was  revealed 
alone  in  the  Bible.  He  next  defined  faith,  which,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Apostle,  is  '  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  the 
evidence  of  things  not  seen.'  When  properly  received  and  in- 
creased, it  becomes  to  the  believer  an  assurance  of  the  great 
doctrines  of  faith,  he  having  no  doubt  as  to  their  truth  or  divine 
origin.  This  faith  embraces  Christ  as  the  only  and  all-suffi- 
cient Saviour  and  Mediator.  Here  the  speaker  enlarged  upon 
the  character  and  mission  of  the  Son  of  God,  affirming  that 
Christ  was  the  most  illustrious  being  in  all  the  universe — that 
he  combined  in  himself  the  perfections  of  the  human  and 
divine  natures;  as  a  man  he  was  as  perfect  as  Adam,  and  as 
God  he  was  as  perfect  as  the  God  of  Abraham.  Unitarianism 
he  pronounced  in  all  its  forms  as  utterly  at  variance  with  the 
doctrines  of  Christianity. 

^^  In  the  incarnation  and  mission  of  the  Son  of  God,  the 
Father  has  made  a  full  and  complete  exhibition  of  his  love. 
God  has  here  done  all  he  could  for  the  redemption  of  our  race, 
and  he  who  will  not  avail  himself  of  the  glorious  plan  of  sal- 
vation, and  will  not  be  saved  by  Christ,  is  out  of  the  reach  of 
God's  mercy.  He  then  propounded  the  question.  What  is 
religion  ?  After  various  remarks,  he  showed  that  it  was  the 
grand  principle  which  binds  man  to  God — that  it  had  not  its 

TOL.  II. — 2  0 


6lO        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

birth  in  philosophy ;  it  did  not  originate  in  the  human  imagi- 
nation, but  was  of  God,  wholly  supernatural,  above  nature, 
above  reason. 

"  The  simple  element  in  religion  is  sacrifice.  Here  he 
dwelt  on  the  efficacy  of  the  atonement,  and  with  strong  em- 
phasis commended  Christ  as  the  Lamb  of  God  who  takes 
away  the  sin  of  the  world — the  Lamb  of  God  in  whom  all  the 
types  and  sacrifices  and  symbols  of  the  Old  Testament  dis- 
pensation found  their  antitype — the  Lamb  of  God  whose 
blood  cleanses  from  all  sin.  ^No  man  can  come  to  God,' 
said  Mr.  Campbell,  ^  only  through  faith  in  the  bleeding  Lamb 
of  God.' 

'*  He  concluded  by  striking  a  severe  blow  at  modem  infi- 
delity, and  at  those  mistaken  and  misguided  souls  who  are 
looking  to  other  quarters  than  the  Bible  for  a  knowledge  of 
the  will  of  God  and  the  plan  of  salvation — who  are  consulting 
disembodied  spirits  for  an  answer  to  questions  already  solved 
in  the  word  of  God.  He  said  the  tallest  seraph  in  heaven, 
or  all  the  angels  that  surrounded  the  throne  of  God,  had  not 
the  power  to  reveal  the  scheme  of  man's  redemption ;  God 
alone  could  make  that  plan  known,  and  this  has  been  already 
done  in  the  book  of  revelation  ;  we  need  no  other.  Had  this 
been  lefl  to  angels,  there  had  been  silence  in  heaven,  not  only 
for  a  half  hour,  but  for  ever.  .  .  . 

"  The  discourse  we  regarded  as  able  and  appropriate,  and 
in  the  main  one  which  most  Christians  would  receive  as 
sound  in  its  theology.  At  the  close  of  the  sermon,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell was  introduced  to  Bishop  Soule,  who  was  one  of  his 
auditors.  After  the  usual  salutation,  Bishop  Soule  expressed 
his  gratification  at  the  exalted  character  he  had  ascribed  to 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  Mr.  Campbell  promptly 
replied,  '  He  is  our  only  hope.'  .  .  .  He  announced  before 
he  concluded  that  he  would  deliver  during  the  week,  in  the 
church  on  Cherry  Street  (the  one  occupied  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Fer- 
guson), a  series  of  lectures  on  'Neology  and  Spiritualism.' 
In  making  this  announcement  he  struck  the  '  Spirit  Rappers' 
some  heavy  blows.     Success  to  him  in  opposing  this  miser- 


A    TIMBL  r  RE  VELA  TION.  6 1 1 

able  humbug,  which,  Mr.  Campbell  justly  remarked,  comes 
from  infidelity,  or  is  evidence  of  infidelity  in  the  heart  of  him 
who  is  under  its  influence. 

'*  It  is  but  justice  to  say  that  the  two  points  kept  promi- 
nently before  the  audience  in  the  two  discourses  were,  first, 
the  divine  authenticity,  perfection  and  sufficiency  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  as  a  revelation  from  God ;  and  second,  the  sac- 
rificial  death  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom  we  have 
redemption  through  his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sin, 
by  faith  in  his  name.  These  two  points  well  established,  he 
will  proceed  to  demolish  the  infidelity  of  German  philoso- 
phers and  spiritualism,  technically  so  called,  which  is  only 
another  phase  of  infidelity." 

In  his  usual  frank  and  fearless  advocacy  of  truth, 
Mr.  Campbell  had  resolved  to  meet  Mr.  Ferguson  in 
the  midst  of  the  community  in  which  he  had  been 
propagating  error,  and  expected  that  the  latter  would 
meet  him  publicly  in  defence  of  his  doctrines.  In  this, 
however,  he  was  entirely  disappointed,  for  this  gentle- 
man, who  had  for  some  time  professed  to  be  in  receipt 
of  communications  from  the  spirit  world,  announced 
that  he  had  orders  to  the  contrary  in  a  special  commu- 
nication from  Dr.  William  E.  Channing,  formerly  of 
Boston,  but  then  a  citizen  of  the  seventh  sphere  in 
Hades. 

"  In  this  letter,"  said  Mr.  Campbell  in  his  notes,  *'  from 
the  elegant  and  fascinating  orator  and  writer  of  sermons.  Dr. 
W.  E.  Channing,  Mr.  Ferguson  received  a  ^positive  com- 
mand*  not  to  attend  any  of  my  meetings  while  in  Nashville, 
and  also  to  hold  no  nocturnal  spiritual  levees  during  my  so- 
journ in  that  city.  All  of  which,  I  presume,  was  very  punc- 
tually acquiesced  in.  And  thus  I  was  denied  the  pleasure  of 
any  intercourse  or  interview  with  Mr.  Ferguson,  through  the 
solicitude  of  the  late  Dr.  Channing  for  his  personal  and 
spiritual  safety.  He  was,  therefore,  truly  obedient  to  the 
infernal  vision." 


6l2         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

Mr.  Campbell,  nevertheless,  according  to  arrange- 
ment after  his  introductory  discourses  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  edifice,  the  use  of  which  had  been 
courteously  granted,  proceeded  to  lecture  during  the 
week,  in  the  evenings,  in  the  Cherry  Street  meeting- 
house, which  Mr.  Ferguson  usually  occupied,  and  to 
contrast  the  character  and  claims  of  the  divine  revela- 
tion with  those  of  spirit  rapping.  While  Mr-  Camp- 
bell was  in  Nashville,  John  T.  Johnson  also  arrived, 
and  with  his  usual  zeal  at  once  commenced  a  series  of 
religious  meetings.  On  Saturday  evening,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell visited  and  addressed  the  students  of  Franklin  Col- 
lege, and  spoke  three  times  in  Nashville  on  the  follow- 
ing Lord's  day  to  large  and  attentive  audiences,  when 
several  intelligent  persons  came  forward  for  baptism. 
On  Monday  he  visited  Murfreesboro',  at  the  request  of 
the  students  and  faculty  of  the  Baptist  University  there, 
and  made  an  address  in  the  evening.  Before  leaving 
Tennessee  he  also  visited  Clarksville  in  company  with 
John  T.  Johnson,  where  he  spoke  twice,  and  on  his 
return  through  Kentucky  spent  six  days  at  Hopkins- 
ville,  where  he  delivered  eight  discourses,  and  a  special 
address  to  the  young  ladies  of  the  flourishing  female 
seminary  there  under  the  care  of  his  cousin  Enos. 
Passing  thence  by  stage  to  Louisville,  he  went  on  to 
Indianapolis,  where  he  had  an  agreeable  interview  with 
the  brethren  and  delivered  two  discourses.  Here,  still 
in  company  with  Brother  Myers,  he  took  the  cars  for 
Wheeling,  and  arrived  at  home  next  day  after  an  ab- 
sence of  thirty  days,  and  improved  in  health  by  his 
journey  of  sixteen  hundred  miles. 

About  this  time  (1855)  there  was  published  a  book  of 
three  hundred  and  sixty-nine  duodecimo  pages,  entitled 
*' Campbellism  Examined,"  by  Elder  J.  B.  Jeter,  of 


BAPTIST  OPPOSITION,  613 

Richmond,  Virginia.  In  this  work  the  author,  a  Bap- 
list  minister  of  distinction,  proposed  to  give  '*  a  faithful 
delineation"  of  **  Campbellism,"  a  term  by.  which  he 
was  pleasecT  to  designate  the  Reformation  urged  by  Mr. 
Campbell.  This  was  the  most  respectable  treatise  on 
the  subject  yet  produced  on  the  part  of  the  Baptist  op- 
position, and  as  it  was  written  in  a  courteous  style  and 
in  an  apparently  fair  and  candid  spirit,  it  was  well  cal- 
culated to  answer  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  designed. 
Admitting  that  the  Baptist  and  other  churches  needed 
reformation,  and  that  what  he  termed  "  Campbellism  " 
had  *'  exercised  an  extensive  influence  on  the  religious 
sentiment  of  the  country,"  the  author  proceeded  to  fur- 
nish from  his  point  of  view  a  sketch  of  **  its  rise,  prog- 
ress, modifications  and  influence,  as  well  as  its  distinctive 
principles,"  and  to  defend  against  its  assaults  the  cher- 
ished doctrines  held  by  Baptists.  It  was  received  by 
them  accordingly  with  much  favor,  though  far  from 
being  complete  in  itself  and  equally  far  from  presenting 
a  full  and  accurate  view  of  Mr.  Campbell's  teachings. 
The  work  was  therefore  regarded  by  Mr.  Campbell,  in 
a  somewhat  rambling  review  which  he  made  of  it  in 
some  pieces  in  the  '*  Harbinger,"  as  doing  him  great 
injustice,  and  he  proposed  to  Elder  Jeter  a  discussion 
of  the  points  involved,  to  be  published  in  the  ''  Relig- 
ious Herald,"  so  that  his  defence  might  be  given  to  the 
Baptist  community.  This,  however,  Mr.  Jeter  declined, 
and  Mr.  Campbell  then  thought  of  writing  a  volume  in 
reply,  which  he  hoped  would  .circulate  where  the  "Har- 
binger" did  not ;  but  owing  to  his  pressing  engagements 
in  the  revision  of  Acts  and  other  unavoidable  labors, 
this  was  from  time  to  time  postponed. 

It  was  the  connection  of  Mr.  Campbell  and  the  Re- 
formers with  that  portion  of  the  Baptists  who  were  en- 

52 


6l4        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBEU^ 

gaged  in  the  revision  movement  that  had  given  occa- 
sion, as  many  supposed,  to  Dr.  Jeter's  book,  as  well  as 
to  several  other  attacks  upon  him  about  this  time  by  Bap- 
tists, who  seemed  to  fear  that  any  association  with  the 
Reformers  tended  to  promote  the  spread  of  religious 
principles  which  they  conceived  to  be  erroneous,  but 
which  they  seemed  unable  to  oppose  by  any  other 
weapons  than  those  of  misrepresentation  and  perversion. 
These  assaults,  however,  were  by  no  means  relished  by 
some  revision  Baptists,  who  were  in  a  better  position  for 
candid  inquiry  as  to  Mr.  Campbell's  views  and  had 
learned  to  understand  him  better.  Hence  Dr.  Lj^nd, 
who  stood  deservedly  high  among  them,  while  com- 
mending many  things  in  Dr.  Jeter's  book,  thus  re- 
marked : 

^*  We  are  somewhat  disappointed  in  the  first  part  of  this 
work  upon  the  inception  of  Campbellism.  The  circum- 
stances and  influences  under  which  the  author  acted  should 
have  occupied  a  larger  space,  and  more  of  the  sentiments  of 
Mr.  Campbell  as  they  consecutively  appeared  from  his  pen 
should  have  been  given  on  this  point.  But  we  rise  from  the 
reading  of  this  portion  with  the  conviction  that  more  was 
needed  to  enlighten  us  upon  the  inception  of  the  system.  .  .  . 
The  natural  temperament  of  Mr.  Campbell  doubtless  gave 
rise  to  his  extravagant  mode  of  opf>osing  what  he  supposed 
to  be  wrong,  but  the  state  of  the  churches  and  their  modes  of 
action  at  the  time  had  much  more  influence.  Few  men 
would  have  had  the  moral  courage  to  attack  them  as  he  did. 
There  was  certainly  great  abuse,  by  the  uninformed,  of  what 
was  called  'Chrffetian  experience,*  and  Mr.  Campbell  fixed  his 
attention  upon  its  abuses.  Creeds  were  also  much  abused  in 
many  parts  of  our  country.  About  the  time  he  commenced 
his  reformation,  the  churches  who  adopted  the  Philadelphia 
Confession  of  Faith  obliged  every  candidate,  before  baptism, 
to  read  it  and  leceive  it  as  containing  the  truths  of  the  gospel. 


STATEMENT  OF  BELIEF.  615 

Two  questions  were  uniformly  asked  them — first,  whether 
they  had  read  the  confession  of  faith?  and  second,  whether 
they  believed  the  doctrines  taught  in  it?  And  there  were 
many  in  the  churches  who  would  have  voted  against  the  re- 
ception of  the  candidate  if  he  could  not  have  answered  these 
questions  in  the  affirmative.  The  formula  which  is  now 
adopted  by  a  large  body  of  .the  churches  shows  clearly  the 
reformation  which  has  been  wrought  upon  this  subject. 
Whatever  we  may  think  of  Mr.  Campbell's  religious  views, 
we  are  certainly  indebted  to  his  extravagance  for  the  removal 
of  many  extravagances  from  our  own  churches.  In  this  por- 
tion of  the  work,  the  chaos  of  Campbellism,  the  writer  does 
not  take  into  view  as  fully  as  he  might  have  done  the  popular 
evils  in  our  own  borders  constituting  the  extreme  on  one  side, 
and  the  extravagance  of  Mr.  Campbell  constituting  the  ex- 
treme on  the  other  side.  It  would  have  added  much  to  the 
value  of  the  work  if  the  evils  existing  in  our  churches  in 
many  parts  of  the  country  at  the  time  had  been  pointed  out, 
as  it  would  have  aided  ufe  to  comprehend  more  clearly  the 
consecutive  stages  of  the  reformatory  process."  (Mil.  Harb. 
for  1855,  p.  140.) 

Again,  in  regard  to  Mr.  Campbell  and  his  views,  Dr. 
Lynd  thus  spoke  in  a  letter  to  the  editor  of  the  '*  Ten- 
nessee Baptist,"  who  had  been  writing  against  Mr. 
Campbell  just  before  with  great  virulence : 

*'  Brother  Graves  :  I  feel  myself  called  upon  in  an  edi- 
torial article  in  your  issue  of  March  31st  to  answer  certain 
queries  that  you  have  propounded.  Your  paper  reached  me 
to-day.  Your  inquiries  are  based  upon  the  following  expres- 
sions employed  by  me  in  a  short  review  of 'Jeter  on  Camp- 
bellism :'  '" 

" '  With  his  views  as  formerly  expressed  we  could  not 
sympathize,  but  as  recently  expressed  they  are  in  conformity 
with  our  own  views.'  ...  In  the  remark  above  I  have  refer- 
ence to  his  views  as  set  forth  in  the  following  articles,  pub- 
lished, I  think,  in  1846 : 


6l6         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

^^ '  I.  I  believe  all  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God, 
is  profitable  for  teaching,  conviction,  instruction  in  righteous- 
ness, that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect  and  thoroughly 
accomplished  for  every  good  work. 

'^ '  2.  I  believe  in  one  God  as  manifested  in  the  Father,  the 
Son  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  are  therefore  one  in  power, 
nature  and  volition. 

'^  ^  3.  I  believe  that  every  human  being  participates  in  all 
the  consequences  of  the  fall  of  Adam,  and  is  bom  into  the 
world  frail  and  depraved  in  all  his  moral  powers  and  capaci- 
ties. So  that  without  faith  in  Christ  it  is  impossible  for  him, 
while  in  that  state,  to  please  God. 

"'4.  I  believe  the  Word  which  from  the  beginning  was 
with  God,  and  which  was  God,  became  flesh  and  dwelt 
among  us  as  Emanuel,  or  '^God  manifest  in  the  flesh,'*  and 
did  make  an  expiation  of  sins  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself, 
which  no  being  could  have  done  that  was  not  possessed  of 
superhuman,  superangelic  and  divine  nature. 

"  *  5.  I  believe  in  the  justification  of  sinners  by  faith  with- 
out the  deeds  of  law ;  and  of  a  Christian,  not  by  faith  alone, 
but  by  the  obedience  of  faith. 

** '  6.  I  believe  in  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  through 
the  Word,  but  not  without  it  in  the  conversion  and  sanctifica- 
tion  of  the  sinner.  .  .  . 

"  '  7.  I  believe  in  the  right  and  duty  of  exercising  our  own 
judgment  in  the  interpretation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

" '  8.  I  believe  in  the  divine  institution  of  the  evangelical 
ministry,  the  authority  and  perpetuity  of  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper.' 

"  Is  there  a  Baptist  church  in  the  State  of  Tennessee  or  in 
the  world  that  can  show  a  more  sound  confession  of  faith  ? 
These  are  the  views  I  endorse,  and  so  does  every  evangelical 
man  in  every  denomination  of  Christians. 

"  Further,  1  referred  in  my  remarks  particularly  to  his 
views  expressed  in  his  debate  with  Dr.  Rice,  in  the  following 
language  :  '  You  may  have  heard  me  say  here  (and  the  whole 
country  may  have  read  it  and  heard  it  many  a  time)  that  a 


FUNDAMENTAL  PRINCIPLES.  617 

seven-fold  immersion  in  the  river  Jordan,  or  any  other  water, 
without  a  previous  change  of  heart,  will  avail  nothing  with- 
out a  genuine  faith  and  penitence  ;  nor  would  the  most  strict 
adherence  to  all  the  forms  and  usages  of  the  most  perfect 
church  order,  the  most  exact  observance  of  all  the  ordinances, 
without  personal  faith,  piety  and  moral  righteousness — without 
a  new  heart,  hallowed  lips  and  a  holy  life,  profit  any  man  in 
reference  to  eternal  salvation.  We  are  represented  because 
of  the  emphasis  laid  upon  some  ordinances  as  though  we 
made  a  Saviour  out  of  rites  and  ceremonies — as  believing  in 
water-regeneration  and  in  the' saving  efficacy  of  immersion, 
and  as  looking  no  farther  than  to  these  '  outward  bodily  acts,* 
all  of  which  is  just  as  far  from  the  truth  and  from  our  views 
as  transubstantiation  or  purgatory.  I  have,  indeed,  no  faith 
in  conversion  by  the  Word  without  the  Spirit,  nor  by  the 
Spirit  without  the  Word.  The  Spirit  is  ever  present  with  the 
Word  in  sanctification  and  conversion.  A  change  of  heart  is 
essential  to  a  change  of  character,  and  both  are  essential  to 
admission  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  ^^  Without  holiness  no 
man  would  enjoy  God."  Though  as  scrupulous  as  a  Pharisee 
in  tithing  mint,  anise  and  cummin,  and  rigid  to  the  letter  in 
all  observances,  without  those  moral  excellences,  usually 
called  righteousness  and  holiness,  no  man  can  be  saved  eter- 
nally, for  the  unrighteous  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God.' 

"Now,  with  these  views  I  concur.  Does  any  Baptist  re- 
pudiate them  ?  I  understand  that  the  foregoing  principles  are 
with  him  fundamental  principles,  and  I  suppose  that  all  his 
other  exhibitions  of  Scripture  teaching  must  be  subordinate 
to  these.  What  other  just  rule  can  be  applied  ?  Apart  from 
the  influence  of  this  rule,  it  would  be  easy  to  quote  plain 
passages  from  the  New  Testament  which  would  go  to  show 
that  the  apostles  did  not  in  good  faith  hold  the  fundamental 
doctrines  of  redemption.  This  is  certainly  done  by  the  op- 
posers  of  these  principles.  I  am  no  apologist  for  the  errors 
of  Mr.  Campbell  or  any  other  man,  but  I  do  most  heartily 
endorse  the  principles  stated  in  this  confession.     I  feel  bound 

62  • 


6l8         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

as  far  as  possible  to  explain  his  views  as  published  since  that 
confession  was  nnade  by  his  fundamental  principles.  If  he  is 
an  honest  man  he  will  believe  nothing  which  he  does  not 
believe  to  be  in  conformity  with  these  principles. 

"I  think  it  is  but  an  act  of  justice,  and  the  laws  of  lan- 
guage demand  it,  that  his  views,  as  published  in  the  '  Chris- 
tian Baptist,*  which  you  quote,  should  be  explained  in  the 
light  of  the  fundamental  principles  which  he  has  solemnly 
declared  he  holds.  I  believe,  with  Mr.  Campbell,  that  faith 
ifS  belief  in  testimony.  The  circumstances  under  which  it  is 
exercised,  embracing  the  views  of  the  sinner  and  his  state  of 
heart,  constitute  the  difference  between  the  belief  that  saves  and 
the  belief  that  does  not  save.  And  that  is  taught  in  all  theo- 
logical schools,  though  not  always  in  the  same  words.  I  have 
no  sympathy  with  the  doctrine  that  immersion  must  be  ad- 
ministered to  procure  remission  of  sins,  and  yet  I  believe  the 
design  of  this  institution  is  not  clearly  understood  either  by 
Baptists  or  Psedobaptists.  No  person  who  believes  the  Bible 
can  deny  that  there  is  a  connection  between  baptism  and  sal- 
vatiqn,  as  there  is  between  regeneration  and  salvation,  or  be- 
tween faith  and  justification,  or  between  persevering  obedi- 
ence and  salvation.  The  question  to  be  determined  is,  What 
is  that  connection?  I  believe  that  Mr.  Campbell  has  not 
reached  the  truth  in  this  matter,  and  therefore  I  do  not  en- 
dorse his  views.  But  may  not  Baptists  generally  fall  short  in 
their  views  of  baptism?  Is  there  not  a  point  of  view  to 
which  all  of  us  may  be  brought  by  honest  and  Christian-like 
discussion.  I  believe  we  enjoy  the  love  of  God  in  our  hearts 
the  moment  we  believe  in  Christ,  and  that  it  may  be  shed 
abroad  more  clearly  by  the  Holy  Spirit  and  that  the  most  of 
the  spiritual  blessings  we  enjoy  may  be  consequent  upon  our 
baptism  must  be  admitted  by  all  who  hold  that  baptism  is 
'  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  toward  God.'  How  can  a 
believer  fully  enjoy  spiritual  blessings  while  this  answer  of  a 
good  conscience  has  not  been  had?  .  .  .  The  quotation  from 
the  '  Christian  Baptist,'  page  293,  repudiates  merely  the  doc- 
trines of  mystical,  metaphysical  or  spiritual  influence  inde* 


REVISION  OF  ACTS.  619 

pendently  of  the  word  of  God.  And  who,  at  the  present  day, 
does  not  repudiate  it?  This  I  understand  Mr.  Campbell 
teaches,  when  I  compare  the  language  with  the  eight  funda- 
mental articles  of  his  creed. 

"  In  the  long  passage  which  you  have  quoted  from  *  Chris- 
tian Baptism,'  p.  256,  he  states  expressly  that  baptism  is  not  as 
a  procuring  cause,  as  a  meritorious  or  efficient  cause,  but  as 
an  instrumental  cause,  in  which  faith  and  repentance  are 
made  fruitful  and  effectual  in  the  changing  of  our  state  and 
spiritual  relation  to  the  divine  persons  whose  names  are 
put  upon  us  in  the  very  act.  I  do  not  know  how  much  Mr. 
Campbell  may  mean  by  the  words  '  our  state  and  spiritual  re- 
lations,' but  I  am  certain  there  is  a  sense,  and  an  important 
sense,  too,  in  which  this  is  doubtless  true.  The  quotation 
from  ^  Christian  Baptism '  does  not  show  that  Mr.  Campbell 
denies  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  conversion.  He  is 
speaking  of  the  influence  which,  in  apostolic  times,  was  de- 
nominated '  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit.*  His  facts  in  re- 
lation to  this  are  correctly  stated.  While  we  differ  from  Mr. 
Campbell,  let  us,  as  Christians,  be  magnanimous,  and  give  to 
his  language  the  fairest  construction  that  can  be  put  upon  it. 
Let  us  examine  it  in  the  light  of  his  published  fundamental 
principles."  (Mil.  Harb.  for  1855,  p.  512.) 

At  the  close  of  spring  (1855)  Mr.  Campbell  suc- 
ceeded in  completing  the  task  of  revision  assigned  to 
him  by  the  Bible  Union,  to  which  for  many  months  he 
had  devoted  every  moment  which  could  be  spared  from 
his  college  and  other  duties,  with  the  exception  of  the 
time  occupied  in  his  trip  to  Nashville.  Such  was  his 
earnestness  and  his  deep  interest  in  the  cause  of  revis- 
ion, that  giving  up  his  agricultural  aflfairs  into  the  hands 
of  his  eldest  son,  he  had  secluded  himself  in  his  little 
gothic  study,  and  given  almost  his  whole  attention  to 
the  work,  greatly  to  the  injury  of  both  his  mental  and 
bodily  vigor.  To  one  of  such  active  habits,  the  loss  of 
his  accustomed  physical   exercise  alone  was  of  itself 


620 


MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 


a  serious  injury  to  his  bodily  health.  Nor  was  the 
character  of  the  labor  required  less  hurtful  to  his  mental 
powers.  The  close  examination  and  comparison  of 
minute  verbal  details  demanded  in  the  revision  and  in 
the  preparation  of  extended  critical  notes  was  exceed- 
ingly harassing  and  irksome  to  a  mind  accustomed,  like 
that  of  Mr.  Campbell,  to  range  at  pleasure  amidst  the 
grandest  subjects  of  human  thought,  and  to  find  amongst 
these  its  natural  and  healthful  sphere  of  action.  His 
conscientious  and  persevering  endeavors  therefore  to 
perform  his  work  faithfully  were  of  no  small  detriment 
to  his  mental  faculties,  and  the  effects  soon  became 
visible  in  his  public  discourses.  His  mind  seemed  to 
have  been  cramped  like  the  limbs  of  a  prisoner  long 
confined  in  heavy  fetters.  He  appeared  unable  to  take 
that  extensive  and  powerful  grasp  of  the  subject  for 
which  he  had  been  so  conspicuous,  and  his  pulpit 
efforts,  though  still  interesting  and  occasionally  bril- 
liant, ceased  for  some  time  to  manifest  their  former 
unity  and  point.  His  friends  noticed  too,  occasionally, 
a  singular  confounding  of  things  relating  to  the  past, 
and  odd  mistakes  in  regard  to  articles  furnished  by  his 
correspondents  for  the  *'  Harbinger,"  of  which  he  still 
retained  the  chief  management.  Nor  were  such  eclipses 
of  memory  wanting,  now  and  then,  in  the  performance 
of  his  college  duties.  These  results,  however,  arising 
more  from  his  recent  undue  labor  than  from  advancing, 
age,  became  less  noticed  after  a  time  when  he  resumed 
his  usual  habits  and  experienced  again  the  benefit  of 
traveling  abroad.  The  following  letter,  written  shortly 
before  the  completion  of  his  revision  labors,  expresses 
his  desire  for  a  pleasant  reunion  of  his  friends  at  the 
approaching  college  commencement,  when  he  expected 
to  have  his  toilsome  but  not  unpleasing  task  completed) 


HEAVENWARD  ASPIRATIONS.  621 

and  to  be  at  length  freed  from  his  revision  labors  and  the 
duties  of  the  college  session : 

"Bethany,  Virginia,  May  30,  1855. 

"  My  dear  son  Henley  :  I  thankfully  received  from  you 
some  days  since  a  very  acceptable  epistle,  for  which  I  return 
you  my  thanks.  I  have  the  pleasure  of  saying  to  you  that  we 
at  Bethany  are  still  moving  forward  in  our  usual  way,  in  or- 
dinary health  and  comfort.  I  have  been  more  oppressed  and 
broken  down  with  hard  labor  this  year  past  than  at  any 
period  in  my  life.  The  labors  bestowed  on  the  New  Version, 
superadded  to  my  former  labors  and  present  obligations,  have 
greatly  oppressed  me  and  cut  short  my  correspondence.  I  am 
'a  debtor  without  hope  to  pay'  to  my  friends  in  private  cor- 
respondence. I  write  you  with  special  reference  to  yourself 
and  lady  and  my  dear  grand-daughter  making  a  visit  to  Bethany 
in  the  latter  part  of  next  month  and  at  the  commencement  on 
the  4th  of  July.  I  have  written  to  Brother  Coleman,  and  will 
now  write  to  Brother  Goss,  also  to  the  same  effect.  We  have 
invited  sundry  brethren  from  Kentucky,  Missouri  and  Ohio, 
to  be  present  with  us  at  said  time,  and  hope  to  see  yourself 
and  lady  also. 

^'  Expecting  to  see  you  at  said  time  and  to  talk  face  to  face, 
1  will  not,  because  I  cannot,  add  much  more  at  present.  We 
have  the  great  theme  of  eternity  and  immortality  pressing 
daily  its  claims  upon  our  supreme  regard,  in  comparison  with 
which  everything  on  earth  sinks  down  almost  to  nothing. 

''To  be  an  heir  of  immortality,  a  joint  heir  with  Jesus 
Christ  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  universe,  is  a  hope,  if  well 
founded,  worth  more  to  a  man  than  the  solar  system  of 
worlds,  were  they  all  offered  to  us  with  more  sincerity  than 
Satan  offered  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  and  the  glory  of 
them  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Oh  for  a  faith  and  a  hope 
commensurate  with  the  promises  of  God !  as  broad,  as  high 
and  as  enduring  as  the  throne  on  which  the  victors  shall  sit 
and  reign  and  triumph  with  him  for  ever !  We  have  reason 
to  fear  that  while  the  many  are  called,  the  chosen  are  still 
few.     Lord,  increase  our  faith,  our  hope,  our  love  and  the 


622         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

fruits  of  our  righteousness,  and  to  him  be  the  glorj',  the  honor 
and  the  praise  for  ever  and  ever.   Amen.     Remember  me 
most  affectionately  to  your  excellent  lady  and  my  grand-chil- 
dren, Thomas  and  Caroline.     Yours  ever  in  the  one  hope, 
*'  R.  Y.  Henley.  A.  Campbell.*' 

•  After  Mr.  Campbell  had  completed  his  revision,  the 
work  was  published  by  the  Bible  Union  in  a  quarto  of 
two  hundred  and  twenty-seven  pages.  The  whole  of 
the  amount  appropriated  for  the  revision  ($1000)  he 
donated  to  the  funds  of  the  Bible  Union,  constituting 
several  of  his  friends  life  directors. 

In  the  month  of  July,  accompanied  by  his  wife  and 
his  daughter  Decima,  he  paid  a  visit  to  Canada,  and 
remained  a  week  at  St.  Catharine's  Springs,  which 
seemed  to  relieve  rheumatic  pains  with  which  he  had 
been  lately  afflicted,  though  lie  still  continued  to  suffer 
from  the  debility  induced  by  overtaxing  his  powers. 
He  visited  various  points  in  Canada  and  formed  a 
number  of  interesting  acquaintances.  Passing  to  De- 
troit where  he  sojourned  with  Richard  Hawley,  he  met 
there  with  Brother  and  Sister  Burnet,  of  Cincinnati, 
and  delivered  two  discourses,  after  which  he  returned 
immediately  home,  feeling  unable  to  attend  the  annual 
meeting  at  Warren,  as  he  had  designed.  • 

In  the  fall  of  this  year,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Camp- 
bell, he  was  induced  to  make  another  tour  through 
Eastern  Virginia,  where  some  overtures  were  made  for 
the  endowment  of  a  chair  in  the  college.  At  Richmond 
he  was  happy  to  meet  most  of  his  old  Virginia  fellow- 
laborers,  and  to  hear  interesting  addresses  from  Brother 
S.  E.  Shepherd,  of  New  York.  He  delivered  a  dis- 
course himself  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  an  address  on 
education  on  Monday,  preaching  again  on  Tuesday 
evening.     At  Charlottesville  he  enjoyed  the  hospitality 


REPLY  TO  1>R.   ySTBR.  623 

of  the  esteemed  laborer,  A.  B.  Walthall,  and  spoke 
several  times,  as  did  also  Dr.  Bullard,  who  accom- 
panied him.  Visiting  Gordonsville,  he  heard  an  excel- 
lent discourse  there  from  Brother  Walthall,  and  went 
on  to  Louisa  C.  H.,  where  he  addressed  the  people; 
and  after  filling  other  appointments  at  Mangohick  and 
Smyrna,  he  spoke  also  at  Rappahannock  and  Acquin- 
ton.  Visiting  afterward  Yorktown  and  Williamsburg, 
he  returned  to  Richmond,  where  he  addressed  at  the 
Athenaeum  a  literary  society  on  the  **True  Basis  of 
Moral  Science."  After  a  trip  to  Caroline,  he  returned 
again  to  Richmond  and  delivered  an  address  before  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  Everywhere  he 
was  received  with  marked  attention  and  treated  with 
great  kindness  by  all  parties.  Dr.  Burroughs  and  Dr. 
Jeter  called  upon  him,  as  also  Drs.  Ryland  and  Gwath- 
ney,  and  they  had  pleasant  interviews.  Through  the 
liberality  of  the  brethren  and  the  appeals  of  R.  L. 
Coleman,  who  accompanied  him  during  the  greater 
part  of  his  journey,  a  considerable  amount  was  raised 
for  Bethany  College.  At  Washington,  on  his  way 
home,  he  met  with  the  amiable  J.  T.  Barclay,  who, 
having  returned  from  Jerusalem,  was  at  this  time  pre- 
paring for  the  press  his  interesting  work,  *'The  City 
of  the  Great  King."  After  preaching  in  Washington, 
Mr.  Campbell  spoke  also  at  Baltimore,  where  he  spent 
a  pleasant  evening  with  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Stockton,  for 
whom  he  had  a  high  regard,  and  then  setting  out  on 
the  cars  on  the  31st  of  January,  reached  home  safely 
after  an  absence  of  forty-eight  days. 

As  he  had  been  too  much  occupied  with  the  revision 
of  Acts  and  his  other  engagements  to  fulfill  his  intention 
of  presenting  in  a  distinct  work  a  full  reply  to  Dr. 
Jeter,  who  had  by  this  time  published  a  second  volume, 


634        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

a  young  student  from  Missouri,  who  had  recently  grad- 
uated (M«  E.  Lard),  concluded  to  attempt  a  reply  and 
thus  relieve  Mr.  Campbell  from  the  labor.  This  **  Re- 
view of  Campbellism  Examined,"  forming  a  volume  of 
two  hundred  and  ninety-seven  pages,  appeared  in  1857, 
with  a  short  preface  by  Mr.  Campbell,  and  was  re- 
garded generally  by  the  Reformers  as  a  triumphant 
refutation  of  Elder  Jeter's  arguments,  which  it  dissected 
with  unusual  logical  skill.  Some  of  its  expositions  of 
Scripture,  however,  were  considered  more  ingenious 
than  correct,  while  the  tartness  and  severity  of  its  lan- 
guage seemed  to  many  ill-accordant  with  the  spirit  in 
which  religious  discussion  should  be  conducted. 

Continuing  his  labors  as  usual,  Mr.  Campbell  in  the 
following  May  made  an  excursion  to  Kentucky,  where 
he  delivered  an  address,  by  invitation,  b^ore  the  Henry 
Female  Seminary  on  *♦  Woman  and  her  Mission.**  He 
also  attended  four  of  the  annual  meetings  in  Ohio, 
which  he  greatly  enjoyed,  and  in  September  visited 
New  York  to  attend  the  Bible  Union  Anniversary,  and 
filled  also  an  appointment  at  Danbury,  in  Connecticut. 
In  October  he  delivered  an  address  to  a  literary  associ- 
ation in  Cincinnati,  where  he  also  attenaed  the  anniver- 
sary meetings  of  the  missionary  and  other  societies. 
Meanwhile,  the  cause  was  making  great  advances  in 
all  parts  of  the  country,  and  the  most  gratifying  intelli- 
gence of  progress  was  received  from  Australia,  New 
South  Wales  and  New  Zealand.  These  cheering  re- 
ports appeared  regularly  in  the  **  Harbinger,"  in  which 
Mr.  Campbell  continued  to  discuss  the  important  themes 
of  the  Reformation  and  the  religious  and  educational 
movements  of  the  times,  assisted  by  his  co-editors,  who 
at  this  time  were  W.  K.  Pendleton,  A.  W.  Campbell, 
R.  Milligan  and  R.  Richardson. 


f 


TOUR  IN  THE  SOUTH.  625 

About  this  time,  Mr.  Campbell  received  intelligence 
of  the  death  of  his  fellow-laborer,  John  T.  Johnson,  to 
whom  he  was  greatly  attached.  While  upon  a  visit  to 
Missouri,  and  in  the  midst  of  successful  labors,  he  wks 
seized  with  pneumonia  and  died  on  the  i8th  of  Decem- 
ber, at  the  residence  of  T.  C.  Bledsoe,  of  Lexington, 
after  a  few  days'  illness.  During  this  illness  he  re- 
ceived the  kindest  attentions,  and  continued  to  exhort 
and  admonish  those  around  him  with  his  usual  simple 
earnestness.  When  asked  whether  he  had  any  doubts 
or  fears  in  reference  to  the  future,  he  replied  in  a  de- 
cided manner,  «'No,  not  the  least.  I  have  lived  by 
Christianity  and  I  can  die  by  it."  Sending  word  to  his 
children  to  live  godly  lives  and  meet  him  in  heaven, 
and  continuing  at  intervals  to  make  to  those  around 
him  remarks  full  of  hope  and  love,  he  joyfully  yielded 
his  spirit  into  the  hands  of  the  Redeemer,  whom  he 
had  so  faithfully  served. 

'*  I  presume,"  said  Mr.  Campbell,  "  no  laborer  in  word  and 
doctrine  in  the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi  has  labored  more 
ardently,  perseveringly  or  more  successfully  than  has  Elder 
John  T.  Johnson  during  the  whole  period  of  his  public  min- 
istry. How  many  hundreds,  if  not  thousands,  of  souls  he  has 
awakened  from  the  stupor  and  death-like  sleep  of  sin,  and  in- 
ducted into  the  kingdom  of  Jesus,  the  King  eternal,  immortal 
and  invisible,  the  living  know  not ;  but  we  have  reason  to 
think  and  hope  that  he  will  have  many  '  for  a  crown  of  joy 
and  rejoicing'  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus." 

Continuing  his  efforts  to  obtain  a  full  endowment  for 
the  college,  Mr.  Campbell  left  home  February  26th  on 
a  tour  South. 

*'  The  object  of  this  tour,"  he  states,  "  was  twofold — first, 
the  pleading  of  the  cause  of  original  Christianity,  and  second, 
as  further  subservient  to  it,  the  claims  of  Bethany  College  as 

TOL.  II. — 2  P  58 


Olf^        MEMOIRS   OP  ALEXAXDEB  CAMPBELJL. 

ar«  :'^*c.'r.-*i'>?;  of  iearr-in-j^  atvf  ^^rsxjt^  based  oc  the  true  pcC- 
fj^/^ry  of  frar.  a*  drreioped  an-i  li"^gxt  in  the  H:>It  BIb>  ia 
rei^rrerxe  V>  hi«  preie^  aru!  f:;t«.re  useful  oew  ai»i  happiness 
a*  a  c>,.zen  of  the  i:r.IrcT»e«  ar>d  w:th  special  reference  to  kis 
j>re*erit  <ieve>.^pa5er,t  and  n;l«:oQ  as  a  crtizen  of  the  United 
.S*;i*<r%  of  North  Anverica  in  the  second  half  of  the  ninetecr.tji 

At  Indianapolis,  on  the  28th  of  Febraarr,  he  ad- 
dre%%e<i  the  Young  Men*s  Christian  Association,  and, 
after  preaching  in  the  Christian  church  on  the  first  of 
March,  set  out  on  the  following  dav  for  Cairo,  where 
be  trx/k  passage  on  a  New  Orleans  boat.  His  forther 
Ihly/rn  will  be  sufficiently  indicated  by  the  following  ex- 
tracts and  letters : 

"  New  Oklmass,  Mardi  18^  1857. 

*'*'  My  dear  wife  :  I  have  been  daily  resoh'ing  to  write  to 
you*  but  Alexander  has  so  often  wriuen,  and  I  have  been 
so  much  cmgaged*  and  (or  some  dav^  since  my  arrival  here 
%f9  much  indisposed,  that  I  could  not  think  of  writing  to 
you  till  I  could  say  to  you  that  I  was  better  and  improving, 
which,  I  am  happy  to  say,  is  now  the  fact.  I  have,  though 
quire  feeble,  spr^ken  in  this  city  some  three  or  four  times.  I 
only  failed  altogether  to  fill  one  appointment,  and  I  think  I 
should  at  least  not  have  spoken  on  two  occasions  that  I  did 
speak ;  one  was  an  address  to  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association.  The  hall  was  very  laige,  the  concourse  large, 
and  I  had,  while  very  feeble,  to  speak  very  loud  in  order  to 
\}c  heard.  This  greatly  prostrated  me,  and  I  had  to  call  for 
medical  aid.  I  am,  indeed,  convalescing,  and  hope,  in  a  few 
days,  to  be  myself  again.  I  must  visit  Baton  Rouge  on  my 
way,  to  which  point  I  start  to-morrow.  The  governor  of 
Louisiana  has  sent  me  an  invitation  to  his  house  while  I  stay 
there.  I  will,  of  course,  accept  it,  and  as  the  Legislature  are 
in  session,  I  may  do  something  there. 

*^  Your  affectionate  husband,  A.  Campbbix/' 


LETTERS  FROM  THE  SOUTH,  627 

"  New  Orleans,  March  19,  1857. 
"My  DEAR  wife:  I  ano  thinking  of  leaving  here  in  the 
course  of  the  day.  I  have  had  a  good  night's  sleep,  and  feel 
somewhat  better.  Alexander,  too,  enjoys  fine  health,  and  is 
very  good  company  for  me.  I  could  not  get  along  without 
him.  He  anticipates  all  that  I  want  and  is  very  much  inter- 
ested in  my  comfort  in  every  particular.  My  visit  here  has 
been,  on  the  whole,  an  advantage  and  profit  to  the  great 
cause  that  I  plead.  But  this  is  a  worldly,  sensual  and  gen- 
erally a  mere  fashionable  theatre.  Still,  there  is  some  salt 
here  that  preserves  the  mass  from  absolute  sensuality.  I  am 
still  more  attached  to  home  the  farther  I  am  from  it.  There 
is  no  place  on  earth  to  me  like  it.  But  we  have  no  continu- 
ing city  here,  and  should  always  act  with  that  conviction. 
We  should  feel  that,  wherever  we  are  and  whatever  we  do, 
we  are  on  our  journey  home.  There  is  nothing  beneath  the 
home  of  God  that  can  fill  the  human  heart,  and  that  should 
ever  rule  and  guide  and  comfort  us.  There  are  few  pure, 
single-eyed  and  single-hearted  professors  of  the  faith  and  the 
hope.  It  is  only  here  and  there  we  find  a  whole-hearted 
Christian.  Like  angels'  visits  they  are  few  and  far  between. 
But  I  am  again  called  out  and  must  say  farewell. 

"  Alexander  Campbell." 

"  Baton  Rouge,  March  30,  1857. 

**  My  dear  wife  :  Having  been  on  the  wing  for  eight 
days  and  without  opportunity  of  writing,  having  the  will  but 
wanting  the  means,  I  have  been  at  length  relieved  from  the 
embarrassment  hitherto  preventing  me.  I  never  have  thought 
more  or  felt  more  of  home  and  its  attractions  than  on  this 
tour. 

"Alexander  has  been  all  attention  to  my  comforts,  and  has 
been  a  great  relief  to  my  cares  on  my  journey ings.  We  are 
now  waiting  for  a  boat  to  descend  to  New  Orleans.  We 
have  been  the  guests  of  the  governor  of  Louisiana,  now  the 
third  day,  and  feel  as  much  at  home  as  I  could  do  anywhere 
from  home.  He  is  a  descendant  of  the  great  Wickliffe,  and 
bears  his  name.     His  wife  is  the  daughter  of  Sister  Dawson, 


628         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

widow  of  General  Dawson,  whom  I  nrnich  esteemed.  She 
18  now  on  a  visit  here,  and  I  much  enjoy  her  society.  She  is 
as  spiritually-minded  as  any  one  I  have  met  with  on  this  tour, 
so  far  a^  I  can  judge.  I  have  had  large  congregations  and 
many  attentive  hearers  on  this  tour  thus  far.  I  am  also  suc- 
ceeding measurably  in  obtaining  subscriptions  for  Bethany 
College.  I  think  my  tour  will  be  of  very  considerable  ad- 
vantage to  the  college  in  obtaining  students,  as  well  as  in 
enlarging  its  endowment. 

'*  But  it  is  a  great  sacrifice  to  my  comfort  in  a  great  many 
respects.  I  do  not  think  I  will  ever  again  undertake  so  large 
a  journey  or  expose  myself  to  so  much  labor  and  privation 
as  1  am  now  subjected  to.  Still,  so  long  as  I  can  do  good  at 
home  or  abroad,  it  is  my  duty  to  do  it.  I  miss  your  com- 
pany more  than  any  other  privation  I  have  to  endure.  Still, 
where  and  when  duty  calls,  it  is  my  wish  to  obey  and  to  deny 
myself.  That  same  Eye  that  has  watched  over  us  both,  and 
guided  and  guarded  us  through  life,  will,  I  humbly  trust, 
guard  and  guide  us  to  the  end  of  life's  weary  journey.  .  .  . 

"Remember  me  to  my  dear  William;  tell  hi^m.I  often 
think  of  him  on  my  journey,  and  hope  that  he  is  growing  in 
knowledge  and  learning  every  day.  I  wrote  to  Decima 
somewhere  on  my  tour,  but  cannot  now  remember  the  date. 
Remember  me  to  her. 

"  I  expect  to  speak  in  Marion,  Alabama,  next  Lord's  day. 
Brother  Myers  has  been  with  us  at  Cheneyvilltf,  where  we 
had  a  fine  meeting,  and  he  will  accompany  us  to  New  Or- 
leans, or  will  meet  us  there  to-morrow  or  next  day.  We  had 
a  fine  meeting  there.  One  brother  subscribed  one  thousand 
dollars  to  Bethany  College.  But  I  must  close  this  scrawl. 
Remember  me  kindly  to  Brother  Pendleton  and  family  and 
Brother  Milligan  and  lady.     In  all  affection  and  esteem, 

'*  Your  husband,  A.  Campbei-l." 

While  in  New  Orleans  he  assisted  D.  P.  Henderson, 
President  Shannon  and  others  in  the  reorganization  of 
the  church  there,  which  consisted  of  about  forty  mem- 
bers.    At  Baton  Rouge  he  found  a  flourishing  female 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM.  629 

seminary  established  by  Brother  Slosson  and  lady,  and 
had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  with  many  esteemed  ac- 
quaintances, among  whom  he  mentions  the  intelligent 
and  zealous  Sister  Willis,  of  Bedford,  Ohio.  "Subse- 
quently, he  visited  some  points  in  Alabama,  and  at 
Marion  met  Jacob  Creath,  Jr.,  who  had  been  laboring 
successfully  for  some  time  in  several  of  the  Southern 
States,  and  who  had,  as  early  as  October,  1826,  first 
pleaded  for  primitive  Christianity  in  Louisiana.  At 
Columbus,  Mississippi,  he  found  a  large  attendance 
and  many  students  of  Bethany  College  assembled  from 
considerable  distances,  and  was  treated  with  more  than 
usual  courtesy  by  the  ministry  of  different  denomina- 
tions, especially  the  Presbyterian. 

Here,  among  other  addresses,  he  delivered  by  special 
request  one  on  Christian  baptism.  In  this  he  dis- 
cussed, as  he  says — 

"  I.  The  action  of  Christian  baptism.  2.  The  legitimate 
subject  of  Christian  baptism  ;  and  3.  Its  design.  These  are 
logically  and  evangelically  the  attitude  in  which  this  divine 
and  solemn  and  most  significant  institution  is  placed  before 
us  in  the  Christian  Scriptures.  That  a  penitent  believer  is 
the  only  evangelical  subject  of  this  solemn  and  sublime  insti- 
tution was  demonstrated  by  a  broad  appeal  to  the  whole 
Christian  oracles ;  that  immersion  in  water  into  and  not  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the 
one  only  Christian  ordinance  called  baptism,  and  that  a  formal 
remission  of  sins  was  and  is  the  end  and  design  of  it.  We 
exposed  the  calumny  frequently  employed  by  the  opponents 
of  a  return  to  the  ancient  order  of  things,  alias  apostolic 
Christianity,  affirming  that  we  give  to  the  water  of  baptism 
the  virtue  of  the  blood  of  Christ  as  cleansing  the  subject  from 
the  guilt  and  pollution  of  sin.  They  might  as  truthfully 
charge  upon  us  the  doctrine  of  Roman  transubstantiation, 
because  we  quote  the  words  *  this  is  my  body  in  dispensing 

63* 


630        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

the  monumental  loaf  and  cup  of  Christ's  own  special  institu- 
tion. Neither  wine  nor  water  possesses  any  such  inherent 
purifying  power,  but  these  may  be  instruments  through 
which  to  communicate  or  to  commemorate  the  blessings  of 
pardon,  or  of  a  spiritual  cleansing  from  the  guilt  and  the 
pollution  of  sin,  provided  that  God  has  so  instituted  and  or- 
^  dained  them  ;  and  that  we  have  the  faith  of  implicit  obedience 

to  each  and  every  divine  institution  that  may  have  been  clearly 
propounded  to  us,  and  accredited  to  us  as  of  unquestionable 
divine  authority." 

Returning  again  to  Marion,  Alabama,  he  proceeded 
to  Atlanta  in  Georgia,  where  he  was  happy  to  meet 
with  Dr.  Hooke,  who  accompanied  him  to  Augusta, 
where  he  was  kindly  received  at  the  hospitable  man- 
sion of  Mrs.  Tubman,  who  contributed  out  of  her  own 
means  the  entire  endowment  of  one  of  the  chairs  in 
Bethany  College.  Here  he  had  a  good  hearing,  and 
on  the  29th  of  April  set  out  upon  his  return  by  way  of 
Richmond  and  Washington  City,  reaching  home  safely 
after  a  journey  of  six  thousand  miles. 

In  the  fall  of  that  year  (1857),  accompanied  by  his 
wife,  he  made  another  tour  in  Illinois,  after  attending 
the  missionary  meeting  in  Cincinnati,  before  which 
he  delivered  as  usual  the  annual  address.  At  Paris, 
Illinois,  he  addressed  a  large  assembly  in  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  meeting-house.  At  the  close  of  his 
address  the  officiating  minister,  Mr.  Crane,  who  was 
a  man  of  liberal  views,  added  some  pertinent  re- 
marks on  the  importance  of  education,  and  handed 
Mr.  Campbell  a  contribution  as  a  token  of  his  in- 
terest and  good-will  in  the  enterprise.  After  filling 
appointments  in  various  parts  of  the  State,  and  meeting 
with  many  friends  and  former  students  of  the  college  in 
this  liberal  and  rapidly-growing  community,  he  traveled 
into  Iowa,  where,  at  Keokuk,  he  was  met  by  Dr.  S. 


VISIT  TO  IOWA.  631 

Hatch,  of  Canton  University.  After  filling  an  appoint- 
ment here,  he  set  out  for  Montrose,  and  thence  went 
on  to  Fort  Madison,  where  he  sojourned  with  Brother 
Bates,  a  faithful  and  devoted  Christian,  and  one  of  the 
editors  of  the  "  Christian  Evangelist."  Visiting  Bur- 
lington, Mount  Pleasant,  Monmouth  and  Rock  Island, 
he  reached  Davenport,  where  he  met  with  the  useful 
and  laborious  J.  Hartzel,  formerly  of  Ohio,  but  now 
preaching  for  the  church  in  Davenport.  Here  he  de- 
livered three  discourses,  and  after  filling  several  other 
appointments  and  meeting  with  many  old  acquaintances 
and  friends  scattered  through  the  State,  he  reached 
Chicago  on  his  way  home  on  the  24th  of  November. 
Astonished  at  the  wonderful  enterprise,  progress  and 
business  of  this  city,  his  only  regret  was  that  it  had  as 
yet  no  proper  representation  of  the  primitive  gospel  and 
its  institutions.  From  Chicago  he  returned  directly 
home,  crossing  the  Ohio  through  the  ice,  and  reaching 
Bethany  on  the  28th  of  November,  having  greatly  en- 
joyed the  trip,  and  expecting  to  visit  Iowa  again  at  a 
more  favorable  season,  when  birds  were  singing  and  the 
prairie  flowers  in  bloom. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

Bethany  College— Tours— Declining  yeara— Letters— Visit  to  James  Foster 

— Last  essays. 

BY  incessant  effort,  Mr.  Campbell  had  at  length 
succeeded  in  obtaining  a  respectable  endowment 
for  several  of  the  professorships  in  Bethany  College. 
The  institution  being  thus  placed  upon  a  tolerably 
secure  footing,  it  was  naturally  expected  that  he  would 
be,  in  a  good  measure,  released  from  his  toils  in  its  be- 
half. It  was,  however,  otherwise  ordered.  About  two 
o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  loth  of  December,  1857, 
a  ruddy  light  flashing  into  the  sleeping  apartments  of 
some  of  the  students  at  the  Steward's  Inn  apprised 
them  of  the  fact  that  the  college  building,  some  one 
hundred  yards  distant,  was  in  flames.  These  had  al- 
ready taken  such  complete  possession  of  the  interior 
that  entrance  was  dangerous,  and  the  assembled  stu- 
dents, villagers  and  faculty  were  compelled  to  witness 
with  unavailing  regret  its  halls,  its  libraries  and  its 
chemical  and  philosophical  apparatus  reduced  to  ashes. 
This  calamity,  which  many  thought  would  prostrate 
the  institution,  only  aroused  Mr.  Campbell  and  its 
faculty  and  friends  to  fresh  efforts.  Rooms  were  at 
once  fitted  up  at  the  Inn,  and  the  regular  recitations 
were  suspended  for  only  a  single  day.  The  Board  of 
Trustees  met  on  the  14th  of  December,  and  appointed 
a  committee  to  obtain  plans  for  a  new  building,  and  to 

632 


f 


LETTERS  FROM  KENTUCKY.  633 

receive  proposals  for  its  erection.  They  also  appointed 
Mr.  Campbell  and  Professor  Pendleton  agents  to  solicit 
funds  to  the  amount  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  to  repair 
the  loss.  In  setting  out  upon  this  mission,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell remarked : 

^'  Nothing  but  the  absolute  necessity  which  seems  to  be  laid 
upon  me  by  the  burning  of  our  college  building,  libraries, 
apparatus,  etc.,  could  induce  me  at  this  season  and  at  my 
time  of  life,  with  the  many  pressing  demands  calling  for  my 
presence  at  home,  to  undertake  the  arduous  labors  which  are 
now  placed  before  me.  If  I  did  not  feel  that  it  is  the  Lord's 
work,  and  that  he  will  be  my  helper,  I  would  shrink  from  the 
task.  I  sometimes  feel  like  asking  to  be  relieved  from  further 
services,  but  it  seems  I  cannot  hope  to  rest  from  my  labors  till 
I  am  called  also  to  rest  with  my  fathers.  Such  as  they  are, 
or  may  be,  therefore  all  my  days  shall  be  given  to  the  Lord." 

The  first  visit  was  paid  to  the  Eastern  cities.  At 
Washington  City,  Mr.  Campbell  spoke  in  the  Baptist 
church,  the  President  with  some  of  his  Cabinet  and 
many  of  both  Houses  being  present.  While  in  Wash- 
ington he  enjoyed  the  hospitalities  of  Judge  Black  and 
family.  He  spoke  also  in  Baltimore,  Philadelphia  and 
New  York,  and  found  everywhere  a  strong  sympathy 
in  relation  to  the  college.  At  Baltimore,  Professor 
Pendleton  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  large  amount  of 
valuable  apparatus. 

Soon  after  returning  home,  they  set  out  again  to  the 
South  and  West.  Of  this  trip,  the  following  extracts 
from  letters  will  not  only  furnish  a  sufficient  narrative, 
but  reveal  much  of  the  inner  life,  the  earnest  aspirations 
and  noble  purposes  of  Mr.  Campbell : 

**  Richmond,  Kentucky,  February  4,  X85S. 
*^  My  beloved  wife  :  .  .  .  I  am  still  on  the  wing,  speak- 
ing every  day,  and  traveling  over  sometimes  very  rough  and 
sometimes  good  turnpikes.     We  are  still  receiving  from  four 


6)4        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

to  ^'c  h\iv.drcd  dollars  at  the  points  we  visit.  It  is.  bowerer, 
a  rerv  laborious  edbrt.  Mr  health  has  been  and  is  now  as 
good  as  could  be  expected*  ...  I  fear  it  will  keep  us  longer 
than  we  expected  to  raise  fifty  thousand  dollars.  We  hare 
not  got  up  half-war  to  it,  but  hope  in  another  week  or  two  to 
rise  still  rr.uch  nearer  those  figures.  Were  the  times  such  as 
they  were  a  year  ago.  we  could  ex{>ect  much  more.  I  heard 
from  Sister  Pendleton's  letters  to  Mr.  Pendleton  that  yourself 
and  our  dear  daughters  were  all  in  good  health.  Wliile 
laboring  for  the  college  we  preach  and  teach  the  Christian 
religion,  ar.d  we  trust  are  doing  some  ptermanent  good  in 
that  department  also.  There  is  also  much  ncc^l  for  this. 
We  generally  in  all  places  preach  twice  or  thrice,  Mr. 
Pendleton  and  mvseif  in  turn.  Remember  me  to  mv  dear 
daughters  and  sods,  as  I  am  often  thinking  of  them.  Also  to 
James  Campbell  and  family,  to  Brother  Milligan  and  lady, 
to  Dr.  Richardson  and  familv,  and  to  Sifter  Pendleton. 

**  I  much  regret  our  absence  from  Bethany,  and  especially 
from  your  dear  self.  But  perhaps  these  bereavements  may 
hereafter  contribute  more  to  our  mutual  happiness.  I  can 
only  say  that  I  forego  more  in  my  absence  from  you  than  any 
other  earthly  privation.  But,  my  dear,  we  must  soon  be  sep- 
arated by  the  unalterable  decree,  and  oh  that  i»e  roav  meet  in 
the  presence  of  our  beloved  Redeemer,  where  there  will  be 
the  fullness  of  joy  and  pleasure  for  erermore!  Remember 
me  to  Robert  Gibson  and  wife.     I  must  close. 

^'  Your  most  afiectionate  husband.  A.  CASfPBELL.** 

*VEas4nxES,  Kt^  Febnory  ao^  185& 
^^Mt  dearly  bblx>ved  wife:  I  am  still  able  to  speak 
once  every  day,  which  has  been  the  average  of  my  public 
labors  since  my  entrance  on  the  territory  of  Kentucky.  Our 
cong^regations  are  large,  attentive  and  much  interested.  Bro- 
ther Pendleton  also  speaks  about  as  often,  and  is  heard  with 
much  attention.  He  is  much  approved  and  improved  in  his 
pulpit  addresses.  .  •  •  We  have  reason  to  think  that  we  will 
increase  our  students  and  our  usefulness  very  considerably  by 
this  tour.     We  cannot,  indeed,  sow  and  reap  in  the  same 


LETTERS  FROM  KENTUCKT,  635 

day.  The  loss  of  your  society  is,  with  me,  indeed,  a  great 
privation,  and  would  be,  on  any  other  premises,  a  sacrifice 
not  be  tolerated  or  endured.  But  we  must  deny  ourselves  in 
this  respect,  as  well  as  in  many  others,  in  order  to  our  duty 
and  our  future  happiness.  It  is  not  for  an  earthly  reward 
alone  that  I  submit,  or  that  you  submit,  to  our  absence  from 
each  other.  We  are  both  living  for  the  future  reward  and 
working  for  our  Redeemer's  honor  and  glory.  Be  of  good 
cheer,  therefore,  and  cast  all  your  cares  and  your  hopes  on 
the  Lord,  who  left  heaven  and  came  to  this  wilderness  of  sin 
to  secure  for  us  an  inheritance  beyond  death  and  the  grave. 
We  are  joint  laborers  for  the  Lord  in  our  absence  from  each 
other. 

^^  I  am  to  deliver  an  address  in  this  place  to-morrow  on 
the  present  kingdom  of  Christ,  its  origin^  progress  and  end; 
when  and  where  and  by  whom  commenced  ;  its  ultimate  tri" 
umph  and  glory. 

**  On  Monday  morning  at  ten  o'clock,  by  special  request  of 
all  the  denominations  in  town,  I  am  to  address  the  pupils  of 
all  the  schools  male  and  female,  assembled  in  our  meeting- 
house.    So  that  my  labors  are  abundant.  .  .  . 

*'  Ever  your  affectionate  husband,  A.  Campbell." 

**  Lancaster,  Kv.,  March  i,  1858. 

"My  dearly  beloved  wife:  I  have  not  heard  from 
home  for  some  ten  days,  and  I  am  very  anxious  to  hear  from 
you  all.  ...  I  will  be,  according  to  appointment,  at  Danville 
on  the  7th  and  8th  insts.  I  will  then  proceed  to  Harrodsburg 
— thence  to  Shelbyville.  At  both  places  I  will  inquire  for  a 
letter,  and  also  at  Eminence  and  New  Castle  and  Louisville. 
I  have  had  a  bad  cold  for  some  two  or  three  days,  and  am  not 
yet  entirely  free  from  it.  I  will  give  directions  at  these  offices 
to  forward  my  letters  to  Louisville,  and  will  there  and  then 
inform  you  of  my  route.  Mr.  Pendleton  enjoys  good  health, 
and  saves  me  of  much  labor  in  speaking.  He  preaches  for 
the  college,  and  I  for  the  Church. 

*'  From  Louisville  we  will  proceed  to  Nashville,  and  per- 
haps thence  into  Mississippi.    It  is  a  work  of  great  labor  and 


636         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

patience,  but  we  must  not  g^ve  up  till  we  approximate  to 
$50,000,  as  we  intend  to  erect  buildings  much  superior  to  that 
which  was  destroyed.  It  is  a  great  labor,  but  we  labor  in 
hope  of  a  reward  rich  and  protracted  beyond  our  day  and 
generation.  I  am  more  and  more  convinced  of  the  utility,  and 
6f  the  necessity  of  raising  up  men  fit  to  carr)'  on  the  great 
work  to  which  I  have  devoted  so  much  of  my  life  and  labor. 
May  the  good  Lord  prosper  our  labors  and  cause  them  to  re- 
dound to  his  glory  and  the  good  oi  multitudes !  We  must 
sow  plentifully  if  we  would  reap  plentifully.  I  regard  you  as 
sympathizing  in  all  my  labors  and  trials,  and  I  do  hope  that 
you  will  partake  with  me  in  all  the  good  resulting  from  them. 
I  have  you  continually  in  my  heart,  and  that  because  I  know 
you  are  like-minded  with  myself  in  this  grand  work,  which  I 
have  undertaken  not  for  myself,  but  for  the  good  of  humanity 
and  the  glory  of  our  Lord,  who  left  the  courts  of  glory  and 
traversed  the  earth  and  labored  until  death  for  the  good  of  his 
fellow-men  and  the  glory  of  his  Father  and  our  Father,  his 
God  and  our  God.  You  have  your  labors  and  cares  as  well 
as  myself,  and  I  trust  that  we  will  not  labor  in  vain  nor  lose 
our  reward.  I  need  not  say  to  you.  Pray  for  my  health  and 
protection,  for  this  I  know  you  do,  as  I  often  bear  you  in  my 
heart  before  our  Father  and  our  Redeemer.  We  are  doing 
good  at  home  and  abroad.  And  may  the  Lord  God  multiply 
our  seed  sown  manifold  !  I  trust  you  will  bear  my  absence 
with  all  patience  and  fortitude,  as  you  have  often  done.  I 
need  not  say  to  you,  Be  patient,  for  I  know  you  are,  and  that 
you  always  sympathize  with  me  in  all  my  trials  and  labors. 
My  time  is  so  much  engrossed  that  it  is  with  difficulty  that  I 
can,  in  a  whole  week,  find  one  hour  to  myself  at  our  lodgings, 
which  are  numerous,  though  sometimes  far  between.  May 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  ever  comfort  your  heart  and  make  you 
long  useful  in  his  service ! 

^^  Your  affectionate  and  devoted  husband, 

"A.  Campbell." 

**  Steamboat  *  Tempest,*  March  27,  185& 
^'  My  beloved  wife  :  I  am  now  floating  on  the  bosom  of 


HOPE  OF  ETERNAL  LIFE.  637 

the  Mississippi  river  on  my  way  to  Nashville.  I  have  been 
writing  in  my  cabin  berth  for  the  ^  Harbinger,'  and  when  I 
arrive  at  Nashville,  which  I  presume  will  be  three  days  hence, 
I  will  forward  this  and  other  communications.  I  have  slept 
on  board  already  two  nights.  Brother  Fall's  daughter  is  under 
my  care  from  a  visit  to  Louisville.  I  have  never  thought  more 
of  sweet  home  in  my  former  life,  I  so  much  miss  your  com- 
pany and  that  of  our  children.  But  I  hope  for  the  not  far 
distant  day  when  I  shall  be  again  surrounded  with  all  the 
pleasures  of  home,  of  which  you  are  the  centre.  But  duty  is 
always  pleasing,  and  I  feel  that  I  am  in  the  discharge  of  it 
while  laboring  to  promote  the  cause  of  literature,  science  and 
religion.  I  feel  sure  that  I  am  laboring  for  a  justifiable, 
honorable  and  useful  end.  And  this  animates  and  sustains 
me  in  your  absence.  I  have  written  to-day  several  pages  for 
the  *  Harbinger,'  which  I  hope  will  accompany  this  to  Beth- 
any. I  have  missed  the  company  of  Mr.  Pendleton,  and  hope 
to  see  him  soon  after  my  arrival  at  Nashville.  The  river  is 
very  full,  overflowing  some  of  its  banks,  and  much  drift-wood. 
The  peach  trees  are  expanding  their  blossoms,  and  the  early 
growths  of  shrubs  are  showing  their  early  buds,  and  spring  is 
at  work  to  repair  the  dreary  wastes  and  ruin  of  winter.  But 
when  shall  spring  visit  the  mouldering  urn  !  Ah,  when  shall 
day  dawn  on  the  night  of  the  grave ! 

*'  Immortality  and  eternal  life  without  a  sorrow,  a  fear 
or  a  tear — how  delightful  the  anticipation  I  This  is  the  hope 
that  cheers  and  charms  the  wastes  of  time,  and  meets  all  the 
longings  of  our  heavenward  aspirations. 

"  But  perhaps  you  are  not  at  home  ;  you  may  be  on  the  way 
with  Mr.  Pendleton  to  take  a  peep  at  the  Southern  sky,  and 
admire  the  verdure  of  the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi.  This 
being  doubtful,  I  still  hail  3'ou  at  the  old  Bethany  mansion,  care- 
ful and  cumbered  with  your  numerous  and  various  domestic 
cares.  If  so,  you  will  be  glad  to  see  that  I  can  yet  make  my 
mark,  and  that  you  are  not  forgotten  by  one  who  owes  so 
much  to  your  ever  kind  and  affectionate  attentions.  If  at 
home,  you  will  make  my  return  the  more  welcome.     If  not, 

54 


638         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

you  will  see  that  I  never  forget  you  amidst  all  the  pressing 
cares  and  pleasing  scenes  through  which  I  pass.  Far  from 
it !     But  I  will  not  dwell  on  this  so  fruitful  theme. 

*'  I  do  not  think  we  can  be  at  home  till  past  the  middle  of 
April,  at  the  earliest  day.  Remember  me  most  affectionately 
to  all  my  dear  children,  and  say  to  them  that  I  never  forget 
them  amidst  all  my  pressing  attentions  and  labors.  Yours 
ever,  A.  Campbell." 

"Nashville,  April  7,  1858. 
''  My  dear  wife  :  .  .  .  I  have  been  here  for  one  week, 
and  have  had  the  pleasure  of  delivering  several  discourses  to 
large  and  attentive  audiences.  .  .  .  We  expect  to  leave  here 
in  two  or  three  days  for  Mississippi,  and  when  we  have  visited 
Jackson  in  that  State,  we  will  turn  our  face  homeward.  I 
cannot  think  of  the  pleasure  of  returning  home — home,  sweet 
home ! — without  emotions  to  which  I  can  give  no  adequate 
expression.  I  have  everything  I  could  wish  for  in  the  form 
of  Christian  kindness  and  respect.  But  you  cannot  partici- 
pate with  me.  We  have  enjoyed  the  kindest  hospitality  from 
the  family  of  Brother  Fall,  who  is  now  located  here  in  charge 
of  the  church,  having  given  up  his  school  at  Frankfort,  Ken- 
tucky, and  emigrated  here  to  labor  in  the  gospel.  We  ex- 
pect to  leave  here  to-morrow  evening  in  a  steamer  for  Jack- 
son, Mississippi,  where  we  may  spend  one  week,  and  then 
we  shall  set  our  face  homeward." 

While  Mr.  Campbell  was  in  Louisville  on  this  trip, 
the  editor  of  the  **  Louisville  Journal"  remarked  as 
follows : 

"  Alexander  Campbell. — This  venerable  and  distin- 
guished man  is  now  in  our  city  on  business  connected  with 
his  college  at  Bethany,  so  recently  visited,  as  our  readers 
know,  with  a  very  disastrous  calamity.  We  are  gratified  to 
perceive  that  neither  years  nor  trials — and  his  Atlantean 
shoulders  support  a  mountainous  weight  of  both — have  se- 
riously impaired  his  bodily  strength,  or  dimmed,  much  less 
quenched,  the  marvelous  fire  of  his  spirit.     In  all  the  cha- 


EULOGY  OF  G.  D.  PRBNTICB.  639 

racteristics  of  manhood  he  is  still  in  the  fullness  of  maturitv. 
And  long  may  he  retain  this  rare  possession  of  his  great 
powers ! 

^^Alexander  Campbell  is  unquestionably  one  of  the  most  ex- 
traordinary men  of  our  time.  Putting  wholly  out  of  view  his 
tenets,  with  which  we  of  course  have  nothing  to  do,  he  claims, 
by  virtue  of  his  intrinsic  qualities,  as  manifested  in  his  achieve- 
ments, a  place  among  the  very  foremost  spirits  of  the  age.  His 
energy,  self-reliance  and  self 'fidelity^  if  we  may  use  the  ex- 
pression, are  of  the  stamp  that  belongs  only  to  the  world's 
first  leaders  in  thought  or  action.  His  personal  excellence  is 
certainlv  without  a  stain  or  a  shadow.  His  intellect,  it  is 
scarcely  too  much  to  say,  is  among  the  clearest,  richest,  pro- 
foundest  ever  vouchsafed  to  man  Indeed,  it  seems  to  us  that 
in  the  faculty  of  abstract  thinking — in,  so  to  say,  the  sphere  of 
pure  thought — he  has  few,  if  any,  living  rivals.  Every  culti- 
vated person  of  the  slightest  metaphysical  turn  who  has  heard 
Alexander  Campbell  in  the  pulpit  or  in  the  social  circle,  must 
have  been  especially  impressed  by  the  wonderful  facility  with 
which  his  faculties  move  in  the  highest  planes  of  thought. 
Ultimate  facts  stand  forth  as  boldly  in  his  consciousness  as 
sensations  do  in  that  of  most  other  men.  He  grasps  and 
handles  the  highest,  subtlest,  most  comprehensive  principles 
as  if  they  were  the  liveliest  impressions  of  the  senses.  No 
poet's  soul  is  more  crowded  with  imagery  than  his  is  with  the 
ripest  forms  of  thought.  Surely  the  life  of  a  man  thus  excel- 
lent and  gifled,  is  a  part  of  the  common  treasure  of  society. 
In  his  essential  character,  he  belongs  to  no  sect  or  party,  but 
to  the  world. 

"  We  trust  that  the  mission  on  which  Mr.  Campbell  is  now 
among  us  may  be  entirely  successful,  as  it  most  richly  deserves 
to  be,  and  that,  with  the  speedy  complete  restoration  of  his  in- 
stitution at  Bethany,  he  may  resume  his  labors,  and  prosecute 
them  with  undiminished  vigor  for  long  and  peaceful  years  to 
come." 

A  sufficient  amount  having  been  secured  to  justify 
the  commencement  of  the  new  college  building,  and  a 


640        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER    CAMPBELL. 

plan  for  a  very  elegant  structure  having  been  adopted, 
the  cornerstone  was  laid  in  the  summer  of  1858,  on 
which  occasion  Mr.  Campbell  delivered  an  address. 

About  this  period  his  strong  regard  for  the  Baptists 
as  a  people,  which  was  not  a  little  increased  by  his  as- 
sociation with  many  of  them  in  the  work  of  revision, 
led  him  once  more  to  seek  a  friendly  discussion,  in 
hopes  that  a  common  basis  of  agreement  might  be 
found.  He,  therefore,  proposed  to  discuss  the  matter 
orally  with  the  president  of  Georgetown  College,  Ken- 
tucky— Dr.  D.  R.  Campbell.  The  latter  made  a  some- 
what evasive  reply,  preferring  a  written  discussion. 
To  this  Mr.  Campbell  was  willing  to  consent,  if  assured 
that  his  responses  would  be  laid  before  the  Baptists  in 
one  of  their  papers.  Of  this,  however,  he  could  obtain 
no  satisfactory  assurance,  and  the  correspondence  which 
ensued  soon  degenerated  on  Dr.  Campbell's  part  into 
misrepresentation  and  abuse,  so  that  Mr.  Campbell 
finally  refused  to  publish  any  more  of  his  letters. 

About  this  period  several  of  those  who  had  been  con- 
spicuous in  the  reformatory  movement  died  within  a  few 
months  of  each  other.  Among  these  were  the  excel- 
lent Samuel  Church,  formerly  of  Pittsburg ;  the  devoted 
William  Morton  and  E.  A.  Smith,  of  Kentucky ;  Presi- 
dent James  Shannon  and  the  zealous  Miss  Mary  R. 
Williams,  who,  having  gone  at  her  own  expense  as  a 
missionary  to  the  Holy  Land,  finished  her  course  amidst 
her  useful  labors  at  Jaffa. 

As  the  rebuilding  of  the  college  and  the  completion 
of  the  endowment  still  demanded  additional  means,  Mr. 
Campbell  continued  to  travel  and  address  the  public  in 
various  parts  of  the  country.  In  the  spring  of  1859  he 
visited  portions  of  Tennessee,  Mississippi,  Louisiana 
and  Alabama.    He  made  an  excursion  also  to  Southern 


TOUR  IN  INDIANA,  641 

Kentucky,  and  after  preparing  an  address  delivered  be- 
fore the  missionary  society  at  Cincinnati,  he  went  to  Mis- 
souri, and  even  as  far  as  Kansas,  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Campbell,  and  met  with  considerable  success,  being 
aided  by  T.  M,  Allen  and  Dr.  W.  H.  Hopson. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Walter  Scott  published  his 
principal  work,  a  volume  of  three  hundred  and  eighty- 
four  pages,  entitled  *'The  Messiahship,"  which  Mr. 
Campbell  highly  commended  as  a  '*  very  readable,  in-  * 
teresting,  edifying,  cheering  and  fascinating  volume 
from  his  most  estimable,  companionable  and  amiable 
fellow-laborer  in  the  great  cause  of  Reformation."  "  For 
more  than  the  one-third  of  a  century,"  said  he,  ''we 
have  been  communing,  conferring  and  co-operating  in 
an  effort  to  present  to  our  contemporaries  the  original 
gospel  and  order  of  things  as  we  read  them  in  the  Acts 
of  the  Apostles  and  their  epistolary  communications." 
This  work  contained  many  fine  thoughts  and  interesting 
analyses  of  the  great  themes  of  redemption,  and  con- 
stituted an  earnest  plea  for  the  union  of  Christians  in 
the  simple  primitive  faith. 

In  the  fall  of  i860,  Mr.  Campbell  delivered  his  regu- 
lar address  as  president  before  the  missionary  society  of 
Cincinnati.  In  December  following  he  set  out  with 
Mrs.  Campbell  upon  a  tour  in  Indiana^  during  which 
he  enjoyed  also  the  efficient  aid  and  company  of  Isaac 
Errett.  During  the  trip,  which  extended  over  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  State,  they  were  received  with 
the  utmost  kindness,  the  Methodists  and  others,  with 
few  exceptions,  opening  their  capacious  meeting-houses, 
and  giving  the  most  respectful  attention  to  the  numerous 
discourses  delivered,  averaging  at  least  one  each  day 
for  a  period  of  nearly  eight  weeks.  Mr.  Campbell's 
health  and  vigor  seemed  to  be  somewhat  improved  by 

TOL.  ii.~2  Q  64  • 


642        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

this  trip  of  two  thousand  miles,  as  was  usually  the  case 
with  him  in  cool  weather. 

As  many  desired  to  have  his  numerous  addresses  col- 
lected into  a  volume,  he  about  this  time  arranged  with 
the  publishing  house  of  Challen  &  Son  to  have  them 
printed.  This  work  of  six  hundred  and  forty-seven 
pages,  and  containing  a  tolerably  good  likeness  of  Mr. 
Campbell  as  he  then  appeared,  he  dedicated  to  his  wife 
in  the  following  terms  : 

"To  Selina  Huntingdon  Campbell,  my  dutiful  and 
affectionate  wife,  who  has  greatly  assisted  me  in  my  labors  in 
the  gospel  at  home  and  abroad,  this  Volume  of  Public  Ad^ 
dresses^  long  solicited  by  many  friends,  is  DEDICATED  as 
an  humble  token  of  my  esteem  and  affection. 

"  A.  Campbell. 

"Bethany,  Virginia,  x86i.** 

During  his  tours  at  this  period,  Mr.  Campbell's  suc- 
cess in  obtaining  donations  for  the  college  was  as  great 
as  could  well  have  been  expected  amidst  the  increasing 
political  discords  and  dangers  which  now  disturbed 
society  and  occupied  almost  exclusively  the  attention  of 
the  people,  so  that  it  was  extremely  difficult  to  interest 
men  in  religious  and  benevolent  objects.  Civil  war, 
indeed,  was  imminent,  and  although  many  still  hoped 
for  the  peaceful  settlement  of  the  disagreement  between 
the  Northern  and  Southern  States,  Mr.  Campbell's 
sagacity  led  him  to  apprehend  the  worst  results.  His 
knowledge  of  human  nature  and  his  enlarged  views 
on  most  subjects  imparted  to  him  a  far-reaching  fore 
knowledge  of  events  which  was  seldom  at  fault.  As 
early  as  the  time  of  General  Harrison's  election  he  had 
anticipated  the  calamities  which  were  now  at  hand. 
While  on  a  visit  to  the  Reserve  at  that  period,  he  one 
day  asked  John  Rudolph  to'  which  of  the  candidates  he 


OPPOSITION  TO  WAR.  643 

thought  the  vote  of  Ohio  would  be  given.  The  latter  re- 
plied he  thought  it  would  be  given  to  General  Harrison. 
*'  I  hope  it  may  be  so,"  said  Mr.  Campbell.  "  I  will 
vote  for  him  myself,  as  he  is  a  personal  friend  and  I  ap- 
prove his  policy ;  but  the  time  will  come,"  said  he, 
"  Brother  Rudolph,  when  the  controversy  will  no  longer 
be  between  Whigs  and  Democrats,  but  between  North 
and  South.  Heretofore  the  Northern  States  have 
yielded  to  the  demands  of  the  South,  but  they  feel  their 
rapidly-growing  strength,  and  the  period  will  arrive 
when  they  will  refuse  any  longer  their  consent  to  mea- 
sures for  the  protection  of  slavery,  and  this  institution 
the  South  will  never  surrender  without  bloodshed.*' 
Fearful  of  the  approach  of  the  period  which  he  had  fore- 
seen, though  still  hoping  for  its  longer  postponement, 
he  thought  it  his  duty  to  visit  Eastern  Virginia  at  this 
time,  in  order  to  complete  the  endowment  he  expected 
from  the  churches  in  that  part  of  the  State.  On  this 
journey  also  he  was  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Campbell 
and  by  Isaac  Errett,  but  his  labors  were  suddenly  inter- 
rupted by  the  outbreak  of  actual  war.  After  he  had 
filled  several  of  the  appointments  which  had  been  sent 
on,  news  of  the  attack  on  Fort  Sumter,  on  the  12th  of 
April,  reached  him  while  he  was  holding  a  meeting  at 
Charlottesville,  and  foreseeing  that  the  whole  country 
would  be  speedily  involved  in  the  begun  strife,  and  that 
no  time  was  to  be  lost  in  effecting  his  return  home,  he 
at  once  abandoned  his  tour  and  sought  once  more  the 
quiet  shades  of  Bethany,  noticing  on  the  way  ample 
evidence  of  preparation  for  that  bloody  conflict  which 
*he  so  much  deprecated,  and  against  which  he  failed  not 
in  the  **  Harbinger"  to  lift  up  his  voice  in  solemn  remon- 
strance, urging  a  resort  to  arbitration  as  the  proper 
method  of  settling  national  difiiculties. 


644        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

About  the  time  of  his  return  to  Bethany  his  beloved 
fellow-laborer,  Walter  Scott,  also  reached  his  home  near 
May  slick,  Kentucky,  from  a  preaching  tour,  gready 
distressed  on  account  of  the  political  troubles  of  the 
country,  and  suffering  with  what  he  regarded  as  a  se- 
vere cold.  This,  however,  soon  proved  to  be  inflam- 
mation of  the  lungs,  which,  rapidly  increasing  in 
violence,  terminated  in  a  few  days  the  useful  services  of 
this  eminent  and  gifted  laborer,  who  bore  his  illness 
with  patient  resignation,  and,  rejoicing  in  the  hope  he 
had  professed,  expired  on  the  Tuesday  after  the  taking 
of  Fort  Sumter  (April  23,  1861).  His  death  was 
deeply  felt  by  Mr.  Campbell,  who  ever  cherished  for 
him  the  warmest  affection  ;  but  his  regrets  were  softened 
by  the  consciousness  that  his  own  failing  energies  be- 
tokened a  not  far  distant  and  eternal  reunion. 

During  the  continuance  of  the  war,  Mr.  Campbell's 
labors  abroad  were  necessarily  restricted,  but  he  made 
occasionally  short  excursions  from  home,  addressing  the 
public  on  religious  topics.  At  home,  the  sudden  dimin- 
ution in  the  nunlber  of  students  at  the  college  and  the 
departure  of  some  of  the  faculty  threatened  to  occasion 
its  suspension  ;  but  it  having  been  determined  to  main- 
tain as  far  as  possible  the  regular  operations  of  the  insti- 
tution, he  continued  still  to  act  as  president,  and  for  a 
time  to  meet,  as  usual,  his  morning  class,  as  well  as  to 
deliver  the  annual  baccalaureate  address.  As  these 
duties,  however,  which  he  endeavored  to  fulfill  from  his 
strong  desire  to  labor  to  the  last,  were  evidently  too 
great  a  burden  at  his  advanced  age,  he  was  induced  at 
length  to  relinquish  them  to  the  vice-president,  who,' 
with  the  remaining  members  of  the  faculty,  continued 
to  preserve  the  order  and  conduct  the  business  of  the 
college,  reserving  merely  to  the  president  the  duty  of 


LIFE   OF  THOMAS  CAMPBELL.  645 

conferring  the  degrees  and  preparing  the  address  for 
the  annual  commencement.  Though  thus  released 
from  much  of  his  former  labor,  he  was  far  from  feeling 
himself  freed  from  that  controlling  sense  of  obligation 
and  responsibility  which  formed  so  striking  a  feature  in 
his  character.  He  still  visited  the  college,  and  some- 
times, through  force  of  habit,  would  prepare  to  go  over 
to  deliver  his  morning  lecture,  until  reminded  that  he 
had  been  relieved  from  the  duty.  Attending  punctually 
at  church,  he  still  felt  that  he  was  expected  to  address 
the  public  if  the  pulpit  was  unoccupied ;  and  his  dis- 
courses, though  discursive  and  marred  by  occasional 
repetitions,  were  still  heard  with  an  interest  which  was 
not  a  little  enhanced  by  his  commanding  and  venerable 
appearance,  with  hair  and  beard  of  silvery  whiteness 
and  a  form  still  tall  and  erect,  though  that  familiar  voice, 
on  which  multitudes  had  so  often  hung  with  delight,  had 
now  become  somewhat  tremulous  and  enfeebled.  In 
the  *'  Harbinger"  he  continued  still  to  write  occasional 
essays,  which,  as  well  as  his  public  addresses,  were 
much  shorter  than  formerly.  He  obtained,  however, 
fpr  a  time,  the  aid  of  Isaac  Errett  as  a  co-editor,  and  his 
able  articles  added  much  to  the  interest  of  the  work, 
which  was  still  regularly  published,  notwithstanding  its 
diminished  patronage,  which  had  been  largely  in  the 
South,  with  which  communication  was  now  entirely  cut 
off. 

During  the  first  year  of  the  war  he  published,  in  a 
volume  of  three  hundred  and  sixty-seven  pages,  a  biog- 
raphy of  his  father,  which  he  had  been  latterly  pre- 
paring, but  which  by  no  means  met  public  expectation ; 
for,  though  it  contained  many  interesting  facts  and  doc- 
uments worthy  of  preservation,  it  was  scanty  in  its  de- 
tails and  defective  in  its  arrangement.     At  the  close  of 


646         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

this  year,  December  12, 1861,  his  eldest  sister,  Dorothea, 
wife  of  Joseph  Bryant,  died  at  Indianapolis,  in  her  sixty- 
ninth  year,  and  her  remains  were  conveyed  to  the  family 
cemetery  at  Bethany.  Her  sister,  Mrs.  Chapman,  had 
died  some  years  before,  and  her  brother  Thomas  like- 
wise ;  so  that,  at  this  time,  Mr.  Campbell  had  but  one 
brother,  Archibald,  and  one  sister,  Mrs.  McKeever,  still 
surviving. 

In  1862,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  paper,  the  "  Har- 
binger" was  reduced  from  sixty  to  forty-eight  pages 
per  number.  During  this  year,  in  September,  he  at- 
tended the  meeting  of  the  New  York  Missionary  Society 
at  Auburn,  and  in  October  he  delivered  his  regular  ad- 
dress before  the  missionary  society  in  Cincinnati.  In 
the  *' Harbinger  "the  subjects  which  still  seemed  chiefly 
to  interest  him  were  those  connected  with  Christolog}', 
prophecy.  Christian  union  and  education.  Earnest  as 
ever  in  his  devotion  to  the  cause  of  truth  and  righteous- 
ness, he  thus  speaks  in  his  preface  to  the  '^  Harbinger" 
for  1863 : 

^'  Despite  of  all  the  hinderances  and  drawbacks  of  these 
gloomy  and  heart-sickening  times,  which  have  fallen  so 
heavily  on  all  the  enterprises  of  Christian  benevolence  and 
hope,  we  are  still,  though  cast  down,  not  utterly  forsaken,  but 
laboring  on — without  it  is  true,  the  encouragement  and  sup- 
port of  many  who,  in  former  years  of  toil  and  trial,  stood  so 
nobly  by  us,  yet  with  the  sustaining  power  of  an  unfalter- 
ing faith  in  the  help  and  blessing  of  Him  whose  Spirit  has  so 
long  been  our  comforter  and  support,  and  whose  service  still 
calls  us  to  the  duties  of  the  foremost  ranks  in  the  army  of  his 
kingdom." 

On  the  7th  of  April  of  this  year  the  beloved  William 
Hayden  finished  his  course  in  his  sixty-fourth  year. 
For  nearly  two  years  he  had  suffered  with  paralysis. 


HALLUCINATIONS.  647 

and  died  finally  with  little  pain  and  with  great  tran- 
quillity, having  to  the  last  his  heart  fixed  upon  the  spread 
of  the  gospel-  On  the  same  day,  Mr.  Campbell's  young- 
est daughter,  Decima,  was  married  to  J.  Judson  Bar- 
clay, setting  out  immediately  for  the  island  of  Cyprus, 
where  Mr.  Barclay  was  United  States  consul.  In  the  fall 
(October  27,  1863)  his  only  remaining  daughter,  Vir- 
ginia, was  united  in  marriage  with  Mr.  W.  R.  Thomp- 
son, a  lawyer  of  Louisville.  In  the  early  part  of  the 
same  month  he  prepared  his  address  for  the  fifteenth 
anniversary  of  the  General  Missionary  Society  at 
Cincinnati. 

As  he  was  now  frequently  in  receipt  of  long  and  inte- 
resting letters  from  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barclay,  giving 
minute  descriptions  of  the  eastern  part  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean, and  especially  of  the  island  of  Cyprus,  with  its 
history,  the  customs  of  the  people,  etc.,  and  as  these 
matters  became  frequent  subjects  of  conversation  in  the 
family  circle  at  Bethany,  the  idea  gradually  took  posses- 
sion of  Mr.  Campbell's  mind  that  he  had  himself  visited 
Cyprus  and  the  Holy  L&nd,  and  he  would  occasionally, 
in  a  pause  of  conversation  with  his  friends,  begin  to  de- 
tail to  them  the  incidents  of  his  supposed  trip  with  the 
utmost  seriousness.  This  hallucination,  in  which  recent 
description  became  inextricably  associated  with  the 
memories  of  his  actual  journeyings  in  Europe  and  else- 
where, continued  to  manifest  itself  occasionally  for 
about  two  years,  when  it  seemed  to  disappear.  During 
these  years  of  decline  he  would  also  occasionally,  when 
partially  awaked  in  the  night,  sit  up  and  offer  fervent 
and  audible  prayer,  as  though  he  was  engaged  in  open- 
ing the  religious  services  of  the  Lord's  day  morning, 
and  would  even  deliver  some  exhortations  quite  con- 
nected and  pertinent.     Here  the  memories,  associations 


64S        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

and  habits  of  the  past  seemed  to  possess  for  him 
greater  vividness  than  even  present  impressions,  and 
his  ever-active  mind,  released  from  pressing  lifelong 
labors,  made  for  itself  imaginary  occasions  of  exertion. 
Apart  from  such  hallucinations,  however,  there  seemed 
to  be  nothing  abnormal  in  the  state  of  his  faculties,  men- 
tal or  bodily.  His  sight  and  hearing  were  quite  unim- 
paired, nor  did  his  conversation  manifest  any  unusual 
indications  of  mental  failure  other  than  that  diminished 
vivacity,  that  forgetfulness  of  names,  dates,  etc.,  and 
that  tendency  to  repetition,  common  in  advanced  age. 
In  his  style,  both  in  his  essays  and  discourses,  there 
had  been  for  some  years  an  increasing  tendency  to  a 
multiplication  of  epithets  and  an  undue  compounding 
of  adjectives,  which  detracted  considerably  from  their 
•effect.  These  blemishes  were  much  less  observable  in 
his  familiar  letters,  one  or  two  of  which  may  be  here 
given  as  illustrative  of  the  thoughts  and  feelings  with 
which  he  was  still  occupied  in  his  seventy-sixth  year. 
The  first  was  in  reply  to  one  from  Dr.  J.  W.  Cox,  giv- 
ing an  account  of  the  state  of  the  Baptists  in  Kentucky. 
The  second  was  addressed  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barclay,  in 
the  island  of  Cyprus. 

••  Bethany,  Va.,  March  21,  A.  D.  1864. 

"  My  dear  Brother  Cox  :  Your  favor  of  March  7th  lies 
before  me.  I  gratefully  thank  you  for  your  beautiful  auto- 
graph and  photograph. 

^^  I  am  as  busy  as  usual.  Even  Sunday  shines  no  Sabbath 
day  to  me.  Church  and  college  duties  must  be  attended  to, 
though  our  elders  and  professors  favor  me  as  much  as  possi- 
ble. Still,  I  cannot  shuffle  off  that  feeling  called  responsibility* 
This  unholy  war  has,  indeed,  reduced  the  number  of  our 
students,  in  common  with  other  colleges  in  Virginia  and 
elsewhere. 

'^  I  much  regret  that  our  Baptist  friends  are  so  much  en- 


LETTER   TO  CYPRUS,  649 

slaved  to  human  traditions  and  experiences  as  passports  into 
church-fellowship.  One  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism  ought 
to  sufiice.  Facts  and  theories  are  the  poles  apart.  Men  may 
assent  to  theories,  but  they  cannot  believe  them.  Testimony 
is  not  theory.  Assent  to  theory  is  not  faith.  Thinking  is  not 
believing,  nor  believing  thinking.  Testimony  is  essential  to 
faith.  'No  testimony,  no  faith'  is  axiomatic.  Faith  comes  by 
hearing  testimony.  cnce  well-attested  facts  or  events  are 
the  true  and  real  materials  of  faith. 

"  Faith,  hope,  love  are  three,  and  not  two  nor  one.  They 
are,  indeed,  three  distinct  and  distinguishable  powers.  Faith 
is  the  belief  of  testimony,  hope  is  the  fruit  of  promise,  and 
love  the  offspring  of  beauty  seen  and  appreciated.  The  gos- 
pel is  God's  charm  in  the  sinner's  ear,  conscience  and  heart. 
It  quickens  the  soul,  charms  the  ear  and  allures  the  heart  to 
God.  It  Is  the  bread  of  life  to  the  hungry,  the  water  of  life 
to  the  thirsty,  and  the  spirit  of  life  to  those  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins.  It  is,  therefore,  the  power  of  God  to  salvation  to 
every  sinner  who  will  cherish  it  in  his  own  heart  and  life. 

*'  We  are  as  a  nation  and  people  most  sadly  out  of  joint. 
I  do  not  mean  religiously  only,  but  politically,  though  we  en- 
joy perfect  peace  in  our  Western  Virginia.  From  anything 
said  or  done  in  our  community,  we  are  in  perfect  political 
quietude  ;  and  were  it  not  for  our  weekly  news,  we  would  not 
know  that  there  is  a  civil  war  in  Western  Virginia,  or  indeed 
in  Eastern  \^irginia. 

"  We  have  comparatively  very  few  Baptists  in  Western 
Virginia  and  Western  Pennsylvania.  Calvinism  and  Armin- 
lanism  in  their  numerous  and  various  moods  and  tenses  are 
the  ecclesiastic  idols  of  the  living  generation  around  us. 

^'  The  advocates  of  apostolical  Christianity  are  still  moving 
onward  and  forward  in  the  even  tenor  of  their  way.  Both 
our  college  and  our  church  are  moving  along  in  the  even  tenor 
of  their  way.     Better,  indeed,  than  we  could  have  expected. 

"  Yours,  truly,  A.  Campbell." 

**  Bethany,  Va.,  May  6,  1864. 
"  My  dear  son  and  daughter  :  We  cordially  congratu- 

65 


650         MEMOIRS  OP  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

late  you  in  the  reception  of  an  heir  from  the  Lord.  This  is  a 
rich  and  precious  gift  from  the  Lord,  which  the  wealth  of  the 
richest  monarch  on  earth  could  not  purchase,  though  pos- 
sessed of  all  the  gold  of  Ophir.  It  constitutes  you  parents, 
and  lays  upon  you  an  obligation  of  paramount  importance. 
For  such  a  precious  gift  kings  would  sometimes  give  a  king- 
dom. But  all  the  gold  of  Ophir  could  not  purchase  it.  Still, 
it  is  to  be  nourished,  cared  for,  protected  and  brought  up  in 
the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  Many  are  the  duties 
incumbent  upon  us  for  such  a  present  from  the  Lord.  In  the 
reception  of  it  our  heavenly  Father  virtually  says  to  us :  ^  Take 
this  child,  educate  and  train  it  for  me,  and  g^eat  shall  be  your 
reward.'  It  is,  indeed,  withal,  a  pleasing  task.  But  to  secure 
this,  the  Lord  has  wisely,  kindly  and  deeply  planted  in  the 
maternal  and  paternal  heart — but  more  deeply  in  the  maternal 
than  in  the  paternal  heart — 2l  paramount  affection.  Mothers 
have  more  generally  a  deeper  and  a  more  enduring  natural 
affection  than  fathers.  Because,  we  presume,  they  need  it 
most.  Their  faithful  efforts  are,  indeed,  well  rewarded. 
Children  generally  love  their  mothers  more  than  their  fathers ; 
and  so,  methinks,  they  ought;  for  a  mother's  affection  is  gen- 
erally stronger  and  more  enduring  than  a  father's. 

**  But  there  are  exceptions  to  all  general  rules.  We  have 
all,  if  observant,  seen  some  of  them  in  this  case.  To  love 
and  to  be  loved  is,  in  all  the  relations  of  life,  the  richest  and 
the  greatest  blessing  on  earth  which  we  can  achieve.  We 
cannot  buy  it.  We  must  earn  it.  To  be  loved  we  must  love. 
But  to  love  not  only  our  friends,  but  our  enemies,  is  required 
by  the  great  Teacher.  This  is  godlike.  When  we  remember 
this,  we  cannot  but  examine  ourselves.  And,  indeed,  it  is  to 
us  all-important  that  we  should  habitually  examine  ourselves, 
and  say  to  the  Lord,  *  Search  me,  O  Lord !  and  try  me,  and 
see  if  there  be  any  wicked  way  in  me,  and  show  it  to  me, 
and  lead  me  and  guide  me  in  the  way  everlasting !' 

'^  We  have  peace  and  tranquillity  in  our  position  in  Virginia. 
College  is  in  session,  with  a  considerable  increase  of  students. 
And,  were  it  not  for  our  newspapers,  we  should  not  know 


ATTACHMENT  TO  FRIENDS.  651 

that  there  was  any  war  in  our  country ;  for  which  blessing 
we  should  be  most  grateful  to  the  Giver  of  every  good  and 
perfect  gift.  Everything  here  moves  on  in  its  wonted  channel. 
Civil  wars  are  very  uncivil  things,  and  wholly  contraband  to 
both  the  letter  and  spirit  of  the  gospel  of  the  God  of  peace. 

'*  Your  description  of  the  island  of  Cyprus,  published  in 
the  April  number  of  the  '  Harbinger,*  has  been  read  with 
great  interest  and  pleasure,  as  we  learn  from  all  quarters.  It 
is,  indeed,  a  feast  to  us  all ;  when  finished  by  you,  we  shall 
dilate  more  fully  upon  it.  I  am  not  sure,  indeed,  but  that  a 
full  history  of  it  from  your  pen  would  be  a  most  useful  and 
interesting  volume.  .  .  .  Think  of  it,  and  gather  and  keep  all 
documents  of  interest,  .  .  .  and  on  your  return  give  a  history 
of  your  whole  tour.  I  am  constrained,  though  with  reluct-' 
ance,  to  close  this  scroll  with  an  apology.  All  our  family  at 
home  unite  with  me  in  all  affection  to  you  and  Decima,  father 
and  mother. 

"  Most  affectionately,  A.  Campbell." 

Nothing  in  Mr.  Campbell  was  more  striking  than  his 
warm  affection  for  his  family  and  his  enduring  attach- 
ment to  his  friends.  Distance  seemed  not  to  remove 
them  from  his  thoughts,  and  however  numerous  his 
special  acquaintances,  time  failed  to  obliterate  their 
images  from  his  memory.  Of  his  singular  tenacity  in 
this  respect  many  touching  illustrations  might  be  given, 
but  the  following  letter,  written  many  years  before, 
while  he  was  alone  on  one  of  his  Western  tours,  may 
best  serve  to  indicate  the  habits  of  his  mind : 

"  Smfthland,  Mouth  of  Cumberland  River, ) 
February  24,  1S41.  1 

"  Mt  dear  Selina  :  Through  the  kind  providence  of  Him 
who  never  sleeps,  and  who  has  preserved  me  through  so 
many  paths  and  dangers,  I  am  here  waiting  for  a  boat  to 
ascend  to  Nashville,  two  hundred  miles  from  this  lonely  and 
wicked  place.  I  was  landed  here  at  two  o'clock  this  morn- 
ing, and  found  my  way  in  the  night  to  a  tavern  of  no  very 


652         MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

high  fame  for  comfort  or  for  morals.  But  I  hope  to  get  away 
by  the  first  arrival.  Meanwhile  I  have  been  walking  in  the 
woods,  casting  my  mind  over  past  scenes  and  past  times, 
conversing  one  while  with  the  dead,  and  at  another  commun- 
ing with  the  far-distant  living.  I  have  just  been  concluding 
that  we  ought  more  frequently  to  reflect  upon  those  of  our  ac- 
quaintance who  are  gone  before  us,  recall  their  images,  con- 
template their  virtues,  moralize  upon  their  frailties,  and  when- 
ever their  excellences  occur  to  our  memory  endeavor  to  make 
them  our  own.  I  have  placed  myself  amidst  my  domestic 
group  some  twenty  years  ago  and  the  years  succeeding,  and 
have  revived  my  family  circle  with  its  occasional  guests. 
Those  of  them  who  were  the  partners  of  my  cares,  my  joys 
and  my  labors  were  well  known  to  you — ^your  excellent  and 
amiable  predecessor,  the  mother  of  my  two  eldest  daughters, 
on  whom  so  many  hopes  and  fears  once  doated — the  excel- 
lent Dr.  Holliday— our  good  father  and  mother  Brown,  who 
sometimes  visited  us,  with  my  own  dear  mother  and  my  be- 
loved sisters,  Alicia  and  Nancy — all  now  sleeping  under  the 
green  turf,  for  ever  have  left  our  present  earth.  Where  are 
they  and  how  employed?  Think  they  never  of  those  they 
left  behind  ?  And  shall  we  never  think  of  them  who  have 
gone  before  ?  Must  we  mutually  and  perpetually  forget  each 
other?  Ah  me!  live  not  their  virtues  in  our  memory? 
Faults  they  had,  but  faults  have  we !  Many  of  their  failings 
grew  out  of  their  love  and  affection  for  those  whom  they  left 
behind.  If  they  were  too  careful  to  please,  too  anxious  for 
the  future,  too  busy  for  the  present,  was  it  not  more  for  others 
than  for  themselves ;  as  much,  at  least,  for  our  happiness  as 
for  their  own?  But  they  acknowledged  the  same  God  and 
Saviour,  invoked  his  name,  worshiped  in  his  sanctuary  and 
were  enrolled  amongst  his  children.  They  have  all  often 
bowed  the  knee  with  me,  our  voices  have  often  mingled  in 
the  same  songs  of  praise — oft  have  we  partaken  of  the  same 
commemorative  loaf  and  drunk  together  the  cup  of  blessing. 
But  we  are  here  in  this  state  of  temptations  and  trials  many ; 
their  race  is  run  and  their  sun  is  set  for  ever.    O  Lord,  teach 


VISIT  TO  JAMES  FOSTER.  653 

us  to  measure  our  days,  to  remember  our  latter  end,  to  dis- 
charge faithfully  our  relative  duties,  and  to  profit  both  by  the 
failings  and  the  virtues  of  those  whom  we  so  much  loved  and 
who  so  much  loved  us.  There  is  nothing  eternally  excellent 
but  the  Christian  virtues,  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  of  faith 
and  hope  and  holy  love,  and  these  are  all  the  avails  of  time 
which  will  be  gathered  into  the  garner  of  heaven. 

^*  My  dear  sister  and  beloved  wife,  you  have  many  cares 
and  many  trials ;  bear  them  on  your  spirit  before  the  throne 
of  God  as  you  bear  them  on  your  shoulders,  and  you  will  feel 
either  that  they  grow  lighter  or  that  you  grow  stronger.  Feed 
your  soul  with  the  bread  of  life,  and  drink,  oh  drink  abundantly 
of  its  pure  and  healing  waters.  Meditation  and  prayer  are 
the  strength  of  the  soul.  O  Lord,  give  us  the  spirit  of  grace 
and  supplication,  and  make  thy  presence  to  us  always  most 
delightful.  We  ought  often  to  think  of  the  dead — not  only  of 
our  own  dead,  but  of  the  dead  saints  of  other  times.  Their 
history  aflbrds  us  instruction,  example  and  motive.  Remem- 
ber, says  Paul,  the  end  of  their  conversation — Jesus  Christ 
the  same  yesterday,  to-day  and  for  ever.  ...  In  the  bonds, 
not  only  of  holy  matrimony,  but  of  the  everlasting  covenant, 
I  remain  your  faithful  and  affectionate  husband, 

*'  A.  Campbell." 

It  was  in  entire  harmony  with  this  amiable  trait  in 
his  nature,  of  remembering  absent  friends,  that,  during 
his  latter  years,  when  released  from  the  confining  duties 
of  the  college,  he  often  proposed  to  go  and  see  them, 
and  would  have  undertaken  distant  journeys  for  the  pur- 
pose had  not  his  family  deemed  it  imprudent.  His  de- 
cline, however,  had  been  so  gradual  as  scarcely  to  be 
perceived,  except  at  considerable  intervals,  and  he  still 
retained  much  of  his  usual  activity,  as  well  as  his  erect 
port  and  his  love  of  daily  exercise.  At  length,  in  July, 
1864,  it  was  agreed  that  he  should  pay  a  visit  to  his 
ancient  fellow-laborer,  James  Foster,  whom  he  much 
longed  to  see  once  more.    Accompanied  by  Mrs.  Camp- 

55  ♦ 


654        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

bell,  he  went  accordingly  to  Wheeling,  from  whence 
they  took  the  cars  to  Glen  Easton,  where,  procuring 
horses,  they  rode  out  across  the  hills  some  five  or  six 
miles  to  the  simple  dwelling  of  Elder  Foster.  The 
meeting  between  the  two  aged  veterans  in  the  Christian 
warfare,  who  had  not  seen  each  other  for  many  years, 
was  quite  affecting.  They  rushed  into  each  other's 
arms  and  embraced  with  tears  of  joyful  recognition. 
After  spending  the  greater  part  of  a  day  and  night  in 
delightful  religious  conversation  and  agreeable  rem- 
iniscences of  the  past,  with  much  regret  they  bade  each 
other  farewell,  without  the  hope  of  again  meeting  on 
earth.* 

Again,  so  late  as  the  spring  of  1865,  accompanied  by 
Mrs.  Campbell,  he  resolved  to  go  and  see  his  daughter 
Virginia  at  Louisville.  While  there  he  spoke  in  the 
Second  Christian  church  very  acceptably,  and  on  the 
following  Lord's  day  delivered  a  discourse  in  the  First 
church,  which  was  then  in  charge  of  D.  P.  Henderson. 
The  presence  of  a  very  large  audience  on  this  occasion 
seemed  to  inspire  him  with  unwonted  vigor.  His  sub- 
ject was  the  commission  given  to  the  apostles,  and  he 
spoke  with  so  much  clearness  and  energy  as  to  surprise 
his  friends,  who  thought  they  had  seldom  heard  him  do 
better.  On  his  return,  while  on  the  Cincinnati  packet, 
two  Presbyterian  preachers  who  were  on  board  came 
and  introduced  themselves  to  him,  and  expressed  a 
strong  desire  that  he  should  deliver  a  discourse  on 
board  the  vessel.  Mrs.  Campbell,  however,  urging  his 
fatigue  and  debility,  had  him  excused.  These  clergy- 
men appeared  very  sociable  and  friendly.  They  had 
been  in  the  East,  and  spent  an  evening  with  the  Amer- 

*  James  Foster  survived  Mr.  Campbell  about  three  years,  d3ring,  in  the  ut- 
most peace,  on  the  12th  of  March,  1869. 


CLOSING  SENTENCES.  655 

ican  Consul  at  Bey  rout,  Mr.  Johnson,  who  had  married 
Miss  Julia  Barclay,  and  of  whose  courtesy  and  kind 
attentions  they  retained  a  grateful  recollection. 

In  the  commencement  of  this  year  (1865)  Mr. 
Campbell  had  relinquished  the  editorship  of  the  '*  Har- 
binger" to  Professor  W.  K.  Pendleton,  furnishing,  how- 
ever, himself  an  occasional  short  essay  upon  themes  in 
which  he  felt  a  particular  interest,  as  "The  Power  of 
the  Word  of  God,"  *•  Christian  Communion,"  **The 
Fruits  of  the  Holy  Spirit,"  etc.  One  of  these  appeared 
so  late  as  November,  1865,  on  the  subject  of  the  gospel, 
in  which,  after  some  remarks  upon  text-preaching,  he 
says: 

"  We  shall  now  propound  or  declare  the  seven  facts  tliat 
constitute  the  whole  gospel.  They  are — i.  The  birth  of 
Christ,  God  being  his  father  and  the  Virgin  Mary  his  mother. 
2.  The  life  of  Christ  as  the  oracle  of  God  and  the  beau-ideal 
of  human  perfection.  3.  The  death  of  Christ  as  a  satisfactory 
sacrifice  for  the  sin  of  the  world.  4.  The  burial  of  Christ  as  a 
prisoner  of  the  grave.  5.  The  resurrection  of  Christ ;  '  O 
grave  !  I  will  be  thy  destruction  !'  6.  The  ascension  of  Christ ; 
^  He  ascended  up  far  above  all  heavens,  that  he  might  possess 
all  things.'  7.  The  coronation  of  Christ  as  Lord  of  the  uni- 
verse ;  God  his  Father  constituted  him  the  absolute  sovereign 
of  creation." 

In  the  closing  paragraph  of  this  essay  he  says : 

"  The  present  material  universe,  yet  unrevealed  in  all  its 
area,  in  all  its  tenantries,  in  all  its  riches,  beauty  and  grandeur, 
will  be  wholly  regenerated.  Of  this  fact  we  have  full  assur- 
ance, since  He  that  now  sits  upon  the  throne  of  the  universe 
has  pledged  his  word  for  it,  saying,  'Behold  I  will  create  all 
things  new  /*  consequently, '  new  heavens,  new  earth  ;'  conse- 
quently, new  tenantries,  new  employments,  new  pleasures, 
new  joys,  new  ecstasies.  There  is  a  fullness  of  joy,  a  fullness 
of  glory  and  a  fullness  of  blessedness  of  which  no  living  man, 


656        MEMOIRS  OP  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

however  enlightened,  however  enlarged,  however  gifted,  ever 
formed  or  entertained  one  adequate  conception." 

These  were  Mr.  Campbell's  last  words  as  a  religious 
writer.  These  were  the  hopeful  utterances,  full  of  an 
abiding  trust,  with  which  he  closed  his  last  essay  in  the 
**  Millennial  Harbinger,"  to  which  he  had  so  largely 
contributed  for  five-and-thirty  consecutive  years.  Grad- 
ually disengaging  himself  from  the  concerns  of  time, 
he  had  long  before  committed  the  management  of  the 
farm  to  his  youngest  son  William,  and  now,  having 
finally  ended  his  editorial  labors,  yet  still  continuing 
to  preach,  awaited,  with  the  most  unfaltering  faith  and 
the  most  cheerful  composure,  the  inevitable  summons. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

Worldly  estate— Hymn-book — Will — ^Declining  years— Traits  of  character- 
Success  as  a  Reformer — Last  discourse — Closing  days — Obsequies. 

FOR  many  years,  Mr.  Campbell  had  been  quite  easy 
in  his  worldly  circumstances.  The  estate  which 
he  had  received  from  his  father-in-law,  John  Brown, 
soon  after  his  first  marriage,  had  at  once  relieved  him 
from  the  res  angusta  domi  under  which,  in  common 
with  his  father  and  the  family,  he  had  so  long  and  so 
patiently  labored.  Subsequently,  from  those  habits  of 
economy,  which  had  been  formed  from  necessity  and 
were  now  continued  from  choice,  his  uncommon  dili- 
gence in  business  and  the  marked  success  of  Buffalo 
Seminary,  his  resources  were  still  further  increased.  It 
was,  however,  the  extensive  sale  of  his  various  pub- 
lications which  aflerward  chiefly  enlarged  his  income, 
enabling  him  to  add  considerably  to  his  farm  at  an  early 
period,  when  land  was  comparatively  low.  In  process 
of  time  he  also- became  possessed  of  unimproved  lands 
in  Ohio  and  Illinois,  chiefly  through  his  attempts  to  aid 
some  of  his  friends,  who  were  aflerward  unable  to  re- 
tain the  property.  The  gradual  increase  in  value  of  his 
landed  estate,  with  the  augmenting  income  from  his 
works,  rendered  him  finally  quite  independent,  enabling 
him  to  aid  his  numerous  relatives  and  friends,  and  to 
maintain  his  extensive  household,  as  well  as  to  exercise, 
as  he  loved  to  do,  his  generous  and  unfailing  hospitality. 

VOL.  II.— 2  B  657 


658         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

He  possessed  great  sympathy  for  the  poor  and  unfortu- 
nate, and  was  never  known  to  refuse  to  give  to  any 
worthy  object.  Yet,  as  if  mindful  of  the  narrow  cir- 
cumstances of  his  earlier  life,  he  was  cautious  in  his 
distributions,  and,  preferring  to  retain  control  of  his 
means,  sought,  in  most  cases,  to  aid  his  friends  by 
lending  rather  than  by  giving.  During  his  latter  years, 
however,  his  benevolent  feelings  seemed  to  gain  so 
much  the  preponderance  that  it  was  sometimes  with 
difficulty  he  could  be  restrained  from  giving  lavishly 
and  injudiciously.  The  promotion  of  the  cause  of 
Christ  seemed  to  be,  with  him,  always  the  principal 
consideration ;  next  to  this  was  the  interest  he  felt  in  his 
family,  then  his  regard  for  his  friends,  and,  finally,  his 
love  for  his  adopted  country.  For  the  first  of  these  ob- 
jects he  was  ever  read}'  to  sacrifice  his  fortune,  his  per- 
sonal ease  and  comfort,  and  even  his  life,  if  necessary. 
With  him  it  was  the  spread  of  the  truth  and  the  salvation 
of  men  first  and  always ;  and  the  means  placed  at  his 
disposal  were  but  the  more  grateful  to  his  feelings  as 
he  was  enabled  thereby  to  subserve  more  efficiently 
these  noble  ends. 

During  his  closing  years  he  donated  to  the  American 
Christian  Missionary  Society  his  interest  in  the  hymn- 
book  from  which  he  had  long  derived  a  considerable 
portion  of  his  income.*  By  his  will,  carefully  written 
by  himself  and  signed  on  the  nth  of  March,  1862,  and 
to  which  he  added  a  codicil  on  the  31st  of  March,  1864, 

*  The  small  hymn-book  which  he  originally  compiled  was,  about  the  year 
1835,  combined  by  arrangement  with  otheis  prepared  by  W.  Scott  and  J.  T. 
Johnson,  and  he  became  the  sole  proprietor.  Among  the  hymns  which  it 
contained,  those  commencing  with  the  following  lines  were  composed  by  Mr. 
Campbell  himself:  "On  Tabor's  top  the  Saviour  stood;*'  "Tis  darkness 
here,  but  Jesus  smiles ;"  *'  Upon  the  banks  of  Jordan  stood ;"  "  Come,  let 
OS  «ing  the  coming  fate ;"  "Jesus  is  gone  above  the  skies." 


CONDESCENSION.  659 

he  gave  certain  legacies  to  his  grandchildren  by  his 
first  wife,  and  distributed  the  remainder  of  his  estate  to 
Mrs.  Campbell  and  his  four  surviving  children,  with 
the  exception  of  ten  thousand  dollars  given  to  Bethany 
College,  together  with  his  valuable  library,  and  five  thou- 
sand dollars  appropriated  to  maintain  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  under  the  direction  of  the  elders  of  the  church 
at  Bethany,  where  for  so  long  a  period  he  had  him- 
self faithfully  and  gratuitously  labored. 

During  the  last  years  6f  his  decline,  which  was  as  the 
slow  going  down  of  the  sun  amidst  the  glow  of  a  pleas- 
ant summer  eve,  he  manifested  in  his  whole  deportment 
not  only  his  wonted  amiability,  but  a  more  subdued  and 
quiet   gentleness,   blended  with   the   utmost   courtesy, 
which  proved  how  well  he  had  learned  the  great  lessons 
of  the  Christian  life.    Gratitude  to  God  seemed  to  be  ever 
his  prevailing  sentiment,  and  thanksgiving  the  natural 
language  of  his  heart.     He  sympathized  greatly,  as  he 
had  always  done,  with  children,  and  would  often  say  of 
them:    "Poor   little   pilgrims!  they  have   the  world's 
journey  to   make  if  they  should   live   long  enough.*' 
When  the  cries  of  one  of  them  disturbed  the  company, 
he  would  say  :  *'  I  am  not  partial  to  that  kind  of  music. 
Poor  little   thing!  pay  attention   to   it.      It   claims  its 
rights.     There  are  rights  of  men,  rights  of  women  and 
baby  rights."     *At  meal-times,  if  his  fascinating  table- 
talk  and  the  interest  of  the  company  in  important  themes 
seemed  to  protract  too  long  the  waiting  of  the  younger 
members  of  the  family,  he  would  remark,  with  a  pleas- 
ant smile  in  rising,  **  Gentlemen,  we  must  give  place 
to  the  next  generation ;"  thus  combining  as  usual  with 
his  playfulness  a  momentous  and  solemn  thought.    That 
condescension  to  inferiors  which  had  been  through  life 
one  of  his  most  striking  characteristics  still  shone  forth 


66o        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

in  all  his  daily  intercourse.  The  most  humble  could 
approach  him  with  entire  confidence,  nor  would  he  ever, 
unless  in  the  hastening  crowd,  pass  any  one,  however 
lowly,  without  a  pleasant  notice  or  salutation.  He  had 
the  largest  and  highest  conceptions  of  the  dignity  and 
the  destiny  of  humanity.  His  lofty  ideas  of  God  led 
him  to  take  noble  views  of  man,  who  was  made  in  his 
image,  while  the  unspeakable  mysteries  of  the  atone- 
ment and  of  man's  redemption  through  the  triumphs  of 
the  Son  of  God  ever  filled  him  with  adoring  wonder. 
**  There  is  more  value,"  he  used  to  say,  **  in  one  human 
being  than  there  is  in  a  million  of  worlds  such  as  we 
inhabit."  Hence  his  love  of  a  government  where  all 
enjoyed  equal  rights,  and  his  dislike  to  clerical  domina- 
tion. '*The  true  clergy,"  he  would  say,  **  are  the 
Lord's  lot  or  people.  God  made  men,  the  priests  make 
laymen.  Man  is  the  creature  of  God,  a  layman  is  the 
creature  of  priests."  Hence  it  was,  too,  that  he  pos- 
sessed a  marked  power  of  repressing  all  feelings  of  re- 
taliation or  revenge.  His  high  conceptions  of  man,  and 
his  just  appreciation  of  his  present  lost  condition,  led 
him  to  feel  sympathy  for  the  erring  and  enabled  him  to 
practice  Christian  forgiveness  in  its  largest  sense,  and 
to  manifest  to  the  end  of  life,  amidst  all  his  collisions 
and  conflicts,  an  abiding  and  ever-increasing  philan- 
thropy— a  feeling  which,  with  many,  is  unhappily  im- 
paired or  lost  through  the  influence  of  a  long  and  sad  ex- 
perience of  the  world,  so  that  the  flower  of  human  sym- 
pathy, which  was  so  fair  and  so  fragrant  in  youth,  pro- 
duces in  the  autumn  of  life  but  a  sour  and  acrid  fruit. 
His  sincere  desire  to  conform  strictly  to  the  precepts  of 
Christ,  led  him  at  a  very  early  period  to  form  the  habit 
of  checking  all  feelings  of  resentment,  and  he  was  hence 
enabled  to  preserve  always  the  kindest  relations  with  his 


PHILANTHROPr.  66l 

neighbors,  whose  tempers  and  feelings  in  some  cases 
had  been  far  from  the  most  amiable.  Thus,  while  he 
was   engaged   in  teaching   Buffalo   Seminary,   a   Mr. 

C d,  who  lived  above  him  on  the  creek,  became 

greatly  offended  because  he  had  refused  for  want  of 
room  to  admit  his  sons  as  pupils.  Having  occasion 
soon  after  to  send  to  this  gentleman,  who  was  of  a 
passionate  and  tyrannical  disposition,  for  some  money 
due  him,  he  became  quite  enraged  and  told  the  messen- 
ger to  say  to  Mr.  Campbell  that  he  must  thenceforth 
keep  his  cattle  at  home,  since  if  he  found  any  of  them 
in  his  fields  he  would  have  them  killed.  Mr.  Campbell 
immediately  summoned  all  his  laborers,  and  forbidding 
them  to  retaliate  in  any  way,  enjoined  upon  them  that 

if  Mr.  C d's  stock  broke  into  his^fields,  as  they  oflen 

did  in  their  wanderings  about  the  creek,  thev  must  not 
hurt  a  hair  upon  their  hides,  but  return  them  kindly  to 

their  own  pastures.     He  then  informed  Mr.  C d  of 

what  he  had  done,  lest  he  should  imagine  that  his  threat 
would  induce  retaliation.     In  the  course  of  a  day  or  two 

Mr.  C d  came  to  see  Mr.  Campbell,  and  making  an 

humble  apology  for  his  conduct,  became  at  once  a 
warm  friend ;  and  afterward  returning  from  Missouri  in 
impaired  health,  would  often  send  for  him  to  come  and 
read  the  Scriptures  and  pray  with  him  as  he  lingered 
upon  the  bed  of  sickness.  Mr.  Campbell's  undeviating 
kindness  and  forbearance  naturally  gained  the  sincere 
esteem  of  all  around  him,  nor  could  any  one  have  en- 
joyed more  of  the  confidence  and  even  admiration  of 
the  community  in  which  he  lived  for  so  many  years 
than  he  did,  though  differing  from  many  of  them  in 
religious  views. 

The  same  feelings  of  regard  for  man,  connected  with 
his  undoubting  trust  in  the  protection  of  Providence, 

66 


662        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL. 

rendered  him  entirely  opposed  to  carrying  arms  for  self- 
defence,  as  was  often  done  even  by  religious  persons 
while  traveling.  Among  various  striking  incidents  from 
his  own  experience  illustrative  of  his  views  of  this 
matter,  he  used  often  to  relate  a  rencontre  which  he 
had  while  traveling  through  Ohio  on  horseback  : 

*^  I  stopped,"  said  he,  ^^  this  side  of  Zanesville  at  a  tavern 
to  breakfast.  After  breakfast  I  observed  a  rough-looking 
man,  who,  having  washed,  ordered  out  his  horse,  and  pres- 
ently, turning  to  me,  inquired  which  way  I  was  traveling.  I 
had  conceived  the  idea  that  the  man  had  arrived  from  the 
West  and  was  going  to  the  East,  and  accordingly  answered 
him  frankly  by  saying  that  I  was  going  westward.  'Well, 
then,'  said  he,  to  my  surprise  and  mortification,  *  we  will  be 
fellovv-travelers,  for  I  am  going  West  too.'  I  did  not  like  this, 
of  course,  but  was  obliged  to  acquiesce,  and  I  regretted  it  still 
more  when,  upon  going  out  to  our  horses,  I  discovered  that 
he  carried,  under  his  overcoat  and  around  his  body,  a  belt  with 
a  brace  of  pistols  and  a  dirk. 

**  We  rode  on  for  some  time  without  much  conversation, 
when  at  length,  when  we  had  reached  a  lonely  part  of  the 
road  and  he  was  somewhat  in  advance,  he  very  abruptly 
turned  his  horse,  and,  confronting  me,  asked  if  I  thought  it 
right  to  carry  arms  against  robbers.  '  Sir,'  said  I,  '  the  only 
weapon  I  ever  carry  is  this,'  at  the  same  time  pulling  out  of 
my  side-pocket  a  New  Testament  and  holding  it  toward  him. 
He  started  suddenly,  and  recoiled  as  though  I  had  presented 
a  pistol ;  but,  recovering  himself  and  perceiving  what  it  was, 
'  Sir,'  said  he,  'do  you  suppose  that  would  defend  you  against 
robbers?'  'Certainly,'  said  I,  'much  better  than  I  could  de- 
fend myself.  The  Author  of  this  book  has  promised  to  pre- 
serve those  that  trust  in  him,  and  I  know  he  is  much  more 
able  to  protect  me.'  He  remained  silent  for  some  time,  hung 
down  his  head  and  seemed  greatly  disconcerted.  At  last  he 
remarked,  in  a  subdued  tone,  '  Well,  sir,  I  am  not  sure  but 
you  are  right,  though,  for  my  part,  I  am  carrying  arms.     I 


'^CONVERSATIONAL  POWERS.  663 

have  been  to  the  East  with  a  drove  of  cattle,  and  am  return- 
ing home  and  have  a  good  deal  of  money  with  me,  and  I 
thought  it  necessary,  as  there  are  so  many  robberies  now,  to 
carry  arms  with  me.  But  I  do  not  know  that  I  should  like 
to  kill  a  man,  and  I  have  been  considering  it  in  my  mind  all 
along.  I  profess  to  belong  to  the  Christian  Church  myself, 
and  I  should  not  like  to  kill  a  man,  even  in  self-defence.'  He 
went  on  to  tell  me  where  he  lived  and  many  things  about  his 
business,  but  I  did  not  like  his  manner  and  did  not  encourage 
much  conversation.  We  traveled  on  till  evening,  when,  as  it 
was  becoming  dusk  and  I  had  not  much  confidence  in  my 
traveling  companion,  I  felt  very  desirous  of  getting  rid  of  him. 
Remembering*  that  a  friend  lived  at  a  short  distance  in  the 
vicinity,  I  determined  to  go  and  spend  the  night  with  him, 
and  as  soon,  accordingly,  as  we  came  to  the  road  leading  to 
my  friend's  house,  without  having  previously  mentioned  my 
design,  I  suddenly  turned  to  him  and  remarked,  ^  I  wish  to 
call  to  see  an  acquaintance  in  this  neighborhood,  and  this  is 
my  road :  I  wish  you  good-night ;'  and,  giving  my  horse  the 
whip,  was  soon  out  of  sight. 

^'Afler  all,  I  do  not  think  he  had  any  evil  intentions;  but 
one  thing  is  evident,  that  my  declaration  that  I  was  without 
arms  induced  him  to  throw  aside  reserve  and  communicate 
freely  his  affairs  to  me.  It  is  the  carrying  of  arms  that  creates 
the  idea  of  the  possession  of  money  and  invites  attack,  but  the 
being  without  arms  has  the  directly  contrary  effect,  and  I  am 
persuaded  that  many  persons  lose  their  lives  simply  from 
carrying  arms." 

Among  his  other  qualities,  Mr.  Campbell  was  dis- 
tinguished for  his  conversational  powers.  No  one  could 
be  long  in  his  company  without  being  struck  with  some 
unexpected  grouping  of  things  present  with  things  re- 
mote, and  of  isolated  facts  with  some  general  principle. 
He  therefore  soon  engrossed  the  attention  of  those 
around  him,  as  from  the  commonest  topics  he  quickly 
passed  beyond  the  range  of  ordinary  thought,  bringing 


664        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

together  the  most  interesting  relations  of  things,  often 
with  figures  and  illustrations  most  striking  and  appro- 
priate. Hence  few  felt  long  disposed  to  take  much  part 
in  the  conversation,  which  often  resulted  in  a  monologue 
commanding  the  attention  and  delighting  the  minds  of 
all.  He  was  far,  however,  from  manifesting  any  de- 
sire to  monopolize  the  time-  On  the  contrary,  he  would 
pause  to  hear  a  remark  from  the  humblest,  and,  in  this 
respect  more  like  Brougham  than  Macaulay,  continued 
to  talk  only  because  it  was  evidently  desired.  In  his 
power  of  thus  captivating  his  audience  he  resembled 
Coleridge,  but  his  field  of  thought  was  different.  The 
mind  of  Coleridge  was  eminently  subjective  in  its  ten- 
dencies— imaginative,  poetic,  analytical — surprising  by 
its  nice  distinctions,  its  disentangling  of  blended  truths, 
its  far-reaching  insight  into  the  spiritual,  its*  power  of 
abstraction,  its  ability  to  resolve  the  complex  into  the 
more  simple,  and  this  again  into  conceptions  yet  more 
and  more  shadowy  and  attenuated.  Mr.  Campbell,  on 
the  other  hand,  was  objective  in  his  mental  bias,  dis- 
posed to  dwell  upon  the  actual  and  the  positive,  the 
realities  of  life  and  of  revelation.  His  groups  consisted 
not  of  fairy  forms  or  of  the  dim  but  entrancing  visions 
of  fancy  or  the  remote  and  impalpable  phantasms  of  a 
sublimated  philosophy.  They  were  composed  of  well- 
defined  and  substantial  facts ;  of  essential  truths :  of  the 
immutable  things  of  Nature  and  of  infallible  Revelation, 
contemplated  in  all  their  grandeur,  yet  in  all  their  direct, 
immediate  and  practical  applications  to  the  business  of 
life  and  to  the  duties  of  religion. 

Notwithstanding  his  disposition  to  sallies  of  wit  and 
humor  in  social  intercourse,  Mr.  Campbell  was  one  of 
the  most  reverential  of  men.  Nothing  could  be  more 
solemn,  and  at  the  same  time  more  simple,  than  his 


RELIGIOUS  LIFE,  665 

thanksgivings  and  prayers  in  the  family  and  elsewhere, 
and  his  petitions  possessed  a  breadth,  fullness  and  appo- 
siteness  which  at  once  exalted  the  thoughts  and  ten^ded 
to  sanctify  the  heart.  Never  in  sacred  things  would  he 
tolerate  the  slightest  approach  to  levity,  and  failed  not 
on  all  occasions  to  reprove  profanity  in  the  severest 
terms.  In  church  and  college  discipline,  also,  though 
inclined  to  pity  offenders,  he  was  ever  most  just  and 
strict  in  enforcing  law  as  the  means  designed  for  cor- 
rection and  reformation.  He  would  never  for  a  moment 
compromise  any  principle  of  right,  but  with  decisive  and 
unyielding  firitiness,  yet  with  the  utmost  kindness,  would 
always  insist  upon  the  rigid  observance  of  every  regula- 
tion ;  while  in  the  faithful  discharge  of  duty  he  himself 
furnished  a  striking^example  in  his  punctual  attendance 
at  college  in  all  kinds  of  weather  and  in  the  midst  of 
the  most  pressing  engagements. 

In  Mr.  Campbell's  religious  life  the  central  thought 
was  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God.  No  language  can  por- 
tray his  lofty  conceptions  of  the  glory  of  Christ  or  of  the 
grandeur  of  the  spiritual  system  of  which  he  is  the 
Alpha  and  the  Omega.  With  such  deep  convictions  as 
he  possessed  of  the  Divine  Sonship  and  infinite  dignity 
of  Christ  it  was  not  possible  that  his  theology  should 
be  erroneous,  for  since  Christ  was  his  Prophet,  Priest 
and  King,  he  acknowledged  no  other  authority  than  his, 
sought  no  other  sacrifice  or  mediator,  and  hearkened  to 
no  other  teacher.  Such  wa^  his  sense  of  the  boundless 
love  of  God  in  Christ  that,  though  he  possessed  remark- 
able control  over  his  emotional  nature,  the  simple  men- 
tion of  it  in  his  public  addresses  would  often  so  afifect 
him  that  for  a  moment  or  two  his  feelings  would  stop 
his  utterance  and  render  him  unable  to  proceed.  He 
recognized  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth  as  resting 

56* 


666        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

upon  Christ,  by  whom  he  thought  all  kings  should  reign, 
and  in  whose  name  all  judges  should  administer  justice. 
It  was  his  great  aim,  therefore,  to  bring  men  to  submit 
to  Christ,  and  to  make  the  Church,  his  body,  as  far  as 
practicable  a  just  exponent  of  his  will,  abounding  in 
good  works  and  reproducing  in  every  member  the  life 
of  Christ  on  earth.  Amidst  the  various  errors  of  relig- 
ious society  which,  as  a  Reformer,  it  became  his  duty 
to  expose,  his  vigorous  spiritual  life  never  suffered  him 
to  lose  his  own  keen  relish  for  the  bread  of  heaven  and 
for  the  loving  contemplation  and  appreciation  of  truth. 
Hence  he  was  so  far  from  pining  or  starving,  as  many 
do,  among  the  husks  of  religious  controversy,  or  acquir- 
ing a  false  or  morbid  appetite  for  the  discovery  of  others' 
faults,  that  his  inner  man  was  renewed  day  by  day, 
and  he  continued  to  the  end  of  life  to  grow  if  possible 
more  and  more  humble,  patient  and  affectionate,  and 
to  exhibit  in  a  still  higher  degree  the  gentle  graces  of 
the  Spirit.  During  this  period  of  partial  release  from 
the  excessive  toils  of  his  busy  life,  memory  might  well 
cast  a  retrospective  glance  over  the  long  years  of  the 
eventful  past,  and  impartial  judgment  prepare  to  render 
its  award.  It  was  then  that  various  questions  would 
naturally  arise  touching  his  mission  as  a  Reformer,  his 
fidelity  to  the  principles  with  which  he  set  out,  the  past 
results  of  his  labors  and  their  future  effect  upon  the 
world.  To  answer  such  questions  could  not  have  been 
difficult,  nor  in  such  a  retrospect  was  it  strange  that 
emotions  of  gratitude  should  fill  his  heart. 

The  nature  of  the  reformation  which  he  urged  has 
already  been  presented  in  detail  in  the  preceding  pages. 
It  may  be  here  briefly  remarked  in  general  that  it  was 
an  effort  to  heal  the  divisions  of  religious  society  and  to 
escape  from  all  the  corruptions  of  the  gospel  by  a  direct 


DIRECTION  OF  PROGRESS.  667 

return  to  the  faith  and  practice  of  the  apostolic  age. 
Beginning  with  the  ministry  of  John  the  Baptist,  and 
contemplating  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  manifested  on  the 
banks  of  the  Jordan  as  the  Son  of  God  and  the  only 
Saviour  of  mankind,  the  development  of  guiding  facts 
and  principles  moved  forward  with  the  evangelic  history 
to  the  sacrifice  of  the  Lamb  of  God  on  Calvary,  and 
thence  to  his  resurrection  and  glorious  ascension  to  the 
heavens  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  men. 
At  this  point  it  was  some  time  before  his  commission 
to  the  apostles  was  understood,  and  before  the  insti- 
tution of  baptism  was  recovered  in  its  primitive  action 
and  design,  and  still  longer  before  the  latter  was  prac- 
tically and  fully  restored.  Advancing  still  with  the 
progress  of  the  sacred  history,  the  order,  discipline  and 
government  of  the  churches  were  developed  as  these 
were  established  by  the  apostles  under  the  dictation  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  finally  the  co-operation  of  the 
churches  with  each  other  in  order  to  the  conversion  of 
the  world  and  their  own  spiritual  growth,  was  seen. 
The  arrangements  and  instrumentalities  to  be  employed 
for  these  purposes,  as  sanctioned  by  apostolic  precept 
and  precedent,  were  the  last  subjects  of  consideration  in 
the  reformatory  movement  directed  by  Mr.  Campbell, 
as  they  were  the  last  recorded  matters  of  apostolic  his- 
tory. Beyond  the  sacred  canon  Mr.  Campbell  would 
not  go.  He  utterly  refused  to  take  a  single  step  into 
the  darkness  of  the  succeeding  ages,  in  which  all  the 
purity  of  th.e  gospel  and  all  the  peace  of  the  Church  had 
been  engulfed. 

The  direction  of  his  progress  was  thus  the  reverse  of 
that  of  Luther,  who,  beginning  with  an  apostate  Church, 
sought  to  correct  one  by  one  the  errors  of  the  ages  that 
were  past.      The  doctrinal  iniquity  of  justification  by 


668         MBMOJRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

human  merit  first  arrested  his  attention.  He  next  de- 
nounced indulgences  and  questioned  the  papal  power. 
He  afterward  abandoned  the  mass,  and  then  renounced 
the  celibacy  of  the  priest,  and  finally  defied  openly  the 
authority  of  Rome.  It  is  true  that  in  vindication  of  his 
reforms,  which  were  mainly  doctrinal,  he  appealed  to 
the  authority  of  Scripture,  and  for  his  justification 
placed  the  Scriptures  in  the  hands  of  the  people,  but  in 
these  reforms  he  never  fairly  reached  the  apostolic  age, 
nor  did  he  ever  fully  restore  the  gospel  to  the  world, 
either  in  its  simple  faith,  its  sacred  institutions,  its  divine 
promises  or  its  ecclesiastical  organization.  He  nobly 
struggled  backward  through  the  corruption  of  the  ages, 
but  Mr.  Campbell  moved  forward  with  the  divine 
development  of  the  truth  as  it  was  gradually  unfolded 
and  revealed  to  man.  *  Luther  hence  ended  with  St. 
Augustine,  but  Mr.  Campbell  with  the  last  Amen  of 
the  last  revelation  that  man  is  to  receive  before  the  day 
of  final  account. 

As  to  his  fidelity  to  the  spirit  of  the  reformatory  prin- 
ciples which  he  advocated  and  to  the  sacred  truths  he 
derived  from  the  book  of  God,  nothing  could  be  more 
admirable  or  complete.  The  Word  of  Inspiration  he 
made  his  only  guide,  and,  faithful  to  his  mission, 
claimed  for  himself  no  authority  and  usurped  no  power. 
Confining  himself  entirely  within  the  limits  of  the 
divine  Record,  he  labored  to  rescue  men  from  priestly 
thraldom  and  to  enable  every  one  to  comprehend  and 
realize  his  religious  privileges  and  duties.  Never  was 
there,  through  so  long  a  life  of  incessant  labor  and  op- 
position, a  more  true  and  consistent  advocacy  of  prin- 
ciple, or  a  more  uncompromising  resistance  to  errors 
and  extremes  within,  as  well  as  to  assaults  and  seduc- 
tions from  without.    Like  a  balance-wheel,  he  regulated 


MENTAL   TRAITCi,  669 

* 

the  entire  movement  of  the  Reformation,  and,  on  re- 
peated occasions,  preserved  it  from  the  disasters  which 
were  impending  from  the  ambitions  or  the  rashness  of 
its  friends.  He  was  not  a  person  of  transient  impulse 
or  of  subservient  purpose.  He  was  no  dreamer,  no 
mystic,  no  visionary  theorist,  but  a  man  of  earnest  cha- 
racter devoted  to  a  great  and  worthy  object ;  a  man  of 
high  and  firm  resolve,  of  deep  convictions,  of  practical 
sagacity,  dealing  with  the  highest  interests  of  mankind, 
self-consecrated  to  the  most  sacred  duties,  untiring, 
unfaltering,  declining  rest  and  worldly  honor  and  pro- 
motion, and  esteeming  the  reproach  of  Christ  greater 
riches  than  any  earthly  treasure.* 

*  The  intellectual  and  moral  qualities  of  Mr.  Campbell  will,  of  course,  be 
truly  and  certainly  ascertained  from  the  facts  and  habits  of  his  life.  As  to 
the  claims  of  Phrenology^  he  himself  placed  but  little  reliance  upon  them, 
though  he  thought  its  general  principles  founded  on  facts,  and  he  had  a 
high  regard  for  Spurzheim,  whom  he  thought  an  earnest  and  sincere  explorer 
of  the  truths  of  Nature.  *'  I  am  not  one  of  those,"  he  said,  *'  who  imagine 
that  any  science,  and  still  less  that  of  the  human  mind  or  of  human  nature, 
can  in  a  few  years,  or  by  one  class  of  contemporary  minds,  be  completely  and 
perfectly  developed  and  matured.  I  am,  therefore,  of  the  opinion  that  the 
science  of  Phrenology  is  but  in  progress,  and  not  yet  perfected."  As  there 
are  many,  however,  who  fully  accredit  the  pretensions  of  craniologists,  it  may 
be  proper  to  present  here  some  of  their  decisions  as  to  Mr.  Campbell's 
mental  character.  The  first  is  from  a  young  Scotch  physician,  a  Dr.  Sim,  an 
enthusiast  in  Phrenology,  who  visited  Bethany  in  1836,  and  remained  some 
time  at  Mr.  Campbell's.  He  was  a  man  of  talent,  and  had  been  a  pupil  of 
Spurzheim  and,  subsequently,  his  demonstrator  of  the  anatomy  of  the  brain 
at  his  lectures  in  Edinburgh.  The  numerical  estimate  is  framed  upon  a  scale 
in  which  20  represents  the  complete  or  highest  development : 

"  Skull,  thin ;  frontal  sinuses,  rather  full ;  temperament,  nervo-sanguineous. 
Amativeness,  16;  Philoprogenitiveness,  18;  Concentrativeness,  18;  Con- 
structiveness,  14;  Destruaiveness,  17;  Combativeness,  16;  Secretiveness, 
15  ;  Firmness,  19 ;  Self-esteem,  15  ;  Love  of  Approbation,  14;  Cautiousness, 
16 ;  Conscientiousness,  20 ;  Hope,  12 ;  Veneration,  13 ;  Wonder,  10 ;  Ad- 
hesiveness, 13 ;  Acquisitiveness,  16;  Ideality,  18;  Causality,  17;  Comparison, 
20 ;  Mirthfulness,  15  ;  Tune,  ii  ;  Time,  12 ;  Locality,  20 ;  First  Individuality, 
18;  Second  Individuality,  14;  Form,  16;  Color,  12;  Size,  17;  Weight,  18; 
Method,  20 ;  Language,  18 ;  £ventuality,i4 ;  Imitation,  17 ;  Benevolence,  19." 


670        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

As  it  respects  the  success  attending  his  efforts,  it  had 
been  truly  remarkable.  At  this  time  he  found  himself 
amidst  a  religious  community  variously  estimated  as 
consisting  of  from  four  to  six  hundred  thousand  mem- 


The  following  is  condensed  from  a  "  chart "  given  by  L.  N.  Fowler  of  New 
York,  on  whom  Mr.  Campbell  called  when  on  his  way  to  Europe,  at  the  re- 
quest of  Mrs.  Campbell,  and  without  making  himself  known  to  Mr.  Fowler : 

"  You  are  naturally  very  industrious,  and  fond  of  both  mental  and  physical 
exercise ;  are  seldom  weary ;  can  work  longer  and  easier,  think  harder  and 
have  more  business  on  hand,  without  sinking  under  it,  than  most  men.  Your 
phrenological  developments  are  distinctly  marked,  and  your  character  must 
be  a  positive  one.  You  are  disposed  to  strike  out  a  path  of  your  own,  and 
have  energy  sufficient  to  meet  almost  any  emergency.  You  do  not  shrink  be- 
cause of  opposition,  but  nerve  yourself  the  more  to  meet  it  The  strongest 
trait  of  your  character  is  firmness,  which  gives  will  and  unyielding  perse- 
verance.  You  have  uncommon  presence  of  mind  and  power  of  determina- 
tion in  times  of  danger.  You  have  a  self-directing  mind,  lean  on  no  one, 
and  care  but  little  for  the  opinions  of  men ;  are  neither  vain,  showy,  affected, 
nor  over-polite  and  ceremonious,  but  very  independent  You  have  tact  and 
III  inagement  when  the  occasion  requires,  yet  generally  are  frank,  open- 
hearted  and  free-spoken.  You  are  sufficiently  cautious  to  be  safe,  but  not  so 
much  so  as  to  be  timid,  You  look  upon  money  as  only  the  means  to  accom- 
plish the  desire  of  other  faculties,  and  not  as  an  end  of  enjoyment  You  will 
use,  rather  than  lay  up,  money.  Your  moral  faculties  are  fully  developed, 
excepting  Marvelousness.  The  general  power  of  your  moral  brain,  connected 
with  your  will,  is  greater  than  your  selfish  feelings.  You  are  strong  in  your 
hopes  and  anticipations ;  never  look  upon  the  dark  side ;  no  enterprise,  sanc- 
tioned by  reason,  is  too  great  for  you  to  undertake.  Conscientiousness,  Ven- 
eration and  Benevolence  are  all  distinctly  developed  and  have  an  active  in- 
fluence, yet  not  so  controlling  as  to  modify  your  energy,  ambition  or  desire  for 
information.  You  have  fair  imagination  and  sense  of  the  sublime  and  grand, 
but  naturally  prefer  the  true  to  the  fanciful,  the  philosophical  to  the  poetical 
Your  language  is  more  forcible  than  flowery,  more  direct  and  pointed  than 
imaginative  and  elegant 

*'  Your  intellectual  powers  are  of  the  available  kind.  You  are  decidedly  a 
matter-of-fact  man ;  a  great  student  of  nature ;  always  learning  something 
from  both  great  and  small ;  your  range  of  observation  is  most  extensive,  and 
what  you  see  and  know  only  increases  your  intellectual  appetite. 

"  Your  argumentative  powers  are  great  You  reason  most  successfully  by 
analogy  and  association.  You  readily  see  the  adaptation  of  principles  and  the 
relation  of  things ;  have  ayW/ development  of  Causality,  enabling  you  to  see  the 
relations  of  cause  and  effect,  giving  originality  of  thought  and  ability  to  plan.*' 


Sl/CCESS  AS  A  REFORMER.  671 

bers,  gathered  largely  from  the  more  intelligent  classes 
of  society,  and  possessing  a  greater  uniformity  of  relig- 
ious sentiment  and  a  better  knowledge  of  the  Bible  than 
usually  exist  in  any  religious  party.  Fully  able  to 
sustain  itself  against  all  opposition,  and  rapidly  increas- 
ing in  all  directions,  it  was  engaged  everywhere  in 
active  efforts  for  the  primitive  faith  and  institutions  of 
the  gospel.  Apart  from  these  visible  and  tangible  re- 
sults, there  had  been,  through  the  instrumentality  of  the 
truths  developed  and  diffused  abroad,  an  extensive  and 
wonderful  modification  not  only  of  the  framework,  but 
of  the  spirit  of  religious  society.  Despised  at  first,  then 
hated,  maligned  and  feared,  Mr.  Campbell  had  taught 
the  partyism  of  the  day  to  respect  at  least,  if  not  to  love, 
the  hand  that  smote  it,  and  had  left  upon  the  religious 
and  educational  endeavors  of  the  age  the  impress  of  his 
power.  The  prejudiced  and  the  ignorant  have  some- 
times said  that  he  failed  of  his  purpose  to  overthrow 
sectarianism.  So  might  it  be  said  of  Luther  that  he 
failed  to  overthrow  the  papacy,  and  in  the  same  spirit 
of  depreciation  it  might  be  said  that  neither  WicklifFe  nor 
Wesley  nor  Chalmers,  nor  any  of  the  great  reformers 
of  the  world,  accomplished  anything  of  importance.  A 
new  star  added  to  the  firmament,  even  though  it  be  of 
the  first  magnitude,  cannot  change  night  into  day,  but 
it  may  serve  to  guide  the  wise  to  the  Babe  of  Bethlehem. 
In  the  slow  progress  of  human  affairs  time  must  be 
allowed  for  the  operation  of  great  principles  and  for  the 
building  up  of  mighty  structures.  Thus  far  the  results 
of  Mr.  Campbell's  labors  have  been,  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, most  extensive  and  remarkable.  As  to  the 
future — it  has  as  yet  no  history. 

The  objects  proposed  by  Mr.  Campbell  were,  like 
his  own  mind,  vast  and  comprehensive,  being  nothing 


6j2        MEMO  IBS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

less  than  the  ultimate. and  complete  overthrow  not  only 
of  all  false  religion,  but  of  infidelity,  through  the  mighty 
power  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  disengaged  from  all  its 
corruptions  and  thoroughly  carried  out  into  practice  in 
all  its  various  applications  to  the  salvation  of  men.  The 
simplicity  of  the  primitive  faith  and  institutions,  and  the 
far-reaching  principles  of  Christian  union  and  fraternity 
developed  by  him  were  indeed  too  far  in  advance  of 
the  attainments  of  the  religious  world  to  be  at  first  prop- 
erly comprehended  or  appreciated.  It  could  only  be 
in  the  gradual  progress  of  the  revolution  that  their 
character  could  be  perceived  and  to  some  extent  under- 
stood. And  this  enlightenment  must  be  progressive. 
Time,  as  it  sheds  its  advancing  sunlight  upon  the  future 
pathway  of  mankind,  reveals  also  more  clearly,  from 
the  higher  point  attained,  the  road  which  had  been  un- 
wittingly traversed  in  the  dimness  of  the  early  dawning, 
and  the  things  of  the  past  are  more  clearly  and  fully 
comprehended  in  the  knowledge  of  the  present.     The  V 

better  views  now  obtaining  as  to  the  proper  limits  of 
religious  thought,  involving  the  essential  distinction  be- 
tween faith  and  opinion ;  the  diminished  power  of  the 
priesthood ;  the  overthrow  of  national*  religious  estab- 
lishments ;  the  circulation  of  pure  versions  of  the  Scrip- 
ture, and  the  advancing  knowledge  of  their  teachings, 
together  with  the  unwonted  activities  of  the  Church  in 
Christian  enterprise  and  in  promoting  the  spirit  of 
Christian  union  and  fraternity,  are  all  indications  of  the 
happy  change  that  is  gradually  taking  place,  and  serve 
to  place  in  a  brighter  light  the  nature  and  the  tendencies 
of  the  lifelong  labors  of  Mr.  Campbell.  And  the 
period  will  doubtless  arrive  when  the  influence  of  these 
^labors  will  be  fully  seen  and  acknowledged,  and  his 
prediction  in  the  **  Christian  Baptist"  (vol.  v.,  p.  88) 


FAILING  HEALTH,  673 

be  fully,  as  it  is  already  in  part,  verified:  *'The  time 
must  come,  if  there  be  any  truth  in  prophecy  or  any 
knowledge  of  it  in  the  world,  and  that  before  many 
years,  too,  when  those  who  have  been  forward  in  re- 
forming modern  Popery  will  be  as  much  esteemed  as 
those  who  reformed  ancient  Popery." 

When  Mr.  Campbell's  last  essay,  referred  to  in  the 
preceding  chapter,  appeared  in  the  *'  Harbinger,"  he 
was  quite  unwell,  and  for  some  weeks  was  confined  to 
the  house.  After  he  had  to  some  extent  recovered,  he 
came  over  again  to  meeting  and  entered  the  pulpit. 
The  manifest  languor  which  had  for  many  months  at- 
tended his  ministrations  seemed  for  the  time  to  have 
disappeared.  His  voice  had  resumed  much  of  its 
former  force  and  clearness,  and  his  mind  seemed  un- 
usually alert  and  vigorous.  Taking  up  the  first  chap- 
ter of  Ephesians,  he  delivered  one  of  the  most  interest- 
ing and  animated  discourses  of  his  life,  dwelling  in  the 
most  eloquent  terms  upon  the  ^'  spiritual  blessings  in 
heavenly  places  in  Christ,"  and  upon  the  glorious  termi- 
nation of  the  divine  purposes,  when  in  the  dispensation 
of  the  fullness  of  times,  God  would  gather  together  in 
one  all  things  in  Christ,  upon  whose  surpassing  glory 
he  expatiated  with  that  peculiar  delight  which,  in  him, 
this  theme  constantly  inspired.  Such  was  the  con- 
nection of  his  trains  of  thought,  the  grandeur  of  his  con- 
ceptions and  the  unity  of  the  whole  that  he  seemed  to 
have  had  restored  to  him  for  the  occasion  almost  the  en- 
tire vigor  of  his  earlier  days,  nor  was  it  unfitting  that  one 
who  had  so  long  held  the  highest  rank  as  a  preacher 
should  thus  terminate  his  ministerial  labors,  for  this 
proved  to  be  his  last  discourse. 

Soon  afterward  his  cold  was  renewed,  and  during  the 
month  of  January  he  was  confined  to  the  house.     Im- 

VOL.  II. — 2  8  57 


674         MEMOIRS  OP  ALEXAXDER  CAMPBELL, 

proving  somewhat,  and  his  presence  being  much  de- 
sired at  the  ordination  of  two  additional  elders  of  the 
church  at  Bethany  on  the  nth  of  February,  he  came 
over  in  a  buggy  and  assisted  in  the  ceremony,  presiding 
^subsequently  at  the  Lord's  Table  and  making  a  few 
ver)'  appropriate  remarks.  He  had  even  entered  the 
pulpit,  when  he  first  came  in,  to  deliver  a  discourse,  but 
his  voice  seemed  so  feeble  when  he  attempted  to  read 
out  the  opening  hymn,  that  Elder  Pendleton  dissuaded 
hiip  from  attempting  it,  and  called  Dr.  Richardson  for- 
ward to  address  the  congregation.  He  spoke  from  the 
third  chapter  of  Second  Peter  upon  the  final  dissolution 
of  the  material  system  and  the  divine  promise  of  *'  a 
new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  right- 
eousness." Mr.  Campbell  paid  marked  attention,  and 
seemed  much  interested  in  the  sublime  revelations  of 
this  chapter,  the  subject  of  which  proved  to  have  been 
not  inappropriate,  as  this  was  the  last  occasion  on  which 
he  was  able  to  meet  with  the  Church  on  earth. 

From  this  time  his  weakness  continued  to  increase 
gradually.  He  had  some  cough,  some  oppression  and 
slight,  irregular  pains  in  the  chest,  a  frequent  and 
feverish  pulse.  At  times,  the  presence  of  particular 
friends  and  the  introduction  of  subjects  in  which  he  took 
a  special  interest  would  rouse  him  to  much  of  his  usual 
vivacity.  He  still  continued  to  sit  up  and  walk  about 
during  the  day,  and  to  take  pleasure  in  the  company  of 
friends  who  called  to  see  him  or  who  were  at  the  time 
his  guests.  Among  these  were  Joseph  Bryant,  vigorous 
yet  in  advanced  age,  and  John  TafTe,  his  former  com- 
panion in  travel,  who  had  been  himself  confined  some 
days  by  illness.  His  daughter  Decima  and  her  hus- 
band, J.  J.  Barclay 9  who  had  shortly  before  returned 
from  Cyprus,  were  also  present,  as  well  as  his  daughter 


UNDOUBTING   CONFIDENCE.  675 

Virginia,  who  had  arrived  from  Louisville  during  his 
illness.  When,  in  conversation,  Dr.  Richardson  spoke 
to  him  of  the  proposed  meeting  of  the  Baptists  and  Re- 
formers at  Richmond,  Va.,  to  confer  upon  the  subject 
of  union,  he  expressed  great  satisfaction  in  hearing  of  it. 
*'  There  was  never  any  sufficient  reason,"  said  he.  **  tor 
a  separation  between  us  and  the  Baptists.  We  ought  to 
have  remained  one  people,  and  to  have  labored  together 
to  restore  the  primitive  faith  and  practice."  He  hoped 
that  much  good  would  result  from  the  proposed  meet- 
ing, and  spoke  with  animation  of  the  glorious  results 
which  would  ensue  if  the  divisions  of  religious  society 
were  healed  apd  the  people  of  God  were  striving 
unitedly  for  the  conversion  of  the  world. 

His  vivacity  was,  however,  fitful  and  transient.  A 
slow  and  settled  fever  consumed  him,  and  he  continued 
to  grow  weaker.  His  mouth  was  often  parched,  and 
he  would  express  aloud  his  gratitude  to  God  for  the  cold 
water  of  which  he  drank  freely,  and  which,  to  his  sur- 
prise, he  relished  more  than  at  any  period  of  his  life. 
It  was  beautiful  to  see  how  gentle  and  calm  and  uncom- 
plaining he  was,  what  placidity  and  cheerfulness  he 
maintained  amidst  his  discomfort,  and  what  serene 
resignation  he  manifested  in  view  of  the  end,  of  whose 
approach  he  was  perfectly  conscious. 

"  It  seemed,"  said  Professor  Pendleton,  who  was  much 
with  him,  **  that  the  ideas  of  immortality  were  struggling 
with  the  agonies  of  death.  Relaxing  from  the  struggles  of 
physical  pain,  a  placid  smile  would  play  over  his  countenance, 
and  then  he  would  murmur,  as  if  in  soliloquy,  *  I  will  ransom 
them  from  the  hand  of  the  grave ;  I  will  redeem  them  from 
death  ;  O  death,  I  will  be  thy  plague !  O  grave,  I  will  be  thy 
destruction  I  repentance  shall  be  hid  from  mine  eyes.'  He 
would  frequently  exclaim,  *  What  shall  I  do?  what  shall  I  do? 


676         MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

Whither  shall  I  fly,  but  to  Thee?'  .  .  .  The  Scriptures  proved 
his  unfailing  consolation.  He  quoted  them  with  great  point 
when  he  seemed  to  know  or  notice  but  little  else.  A  few 
days  before  his  death,  upon  some  allusion  to  the  creation,  he 
quoted  the  first  verse  of  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis  in 
Hebrew,  and  then  the  first  verse  of  the  first  chapter  of  John 
in  Greek.  His  mind  delighted  to  dwell  upon  the  glorious 
character  of  Christ.  He  would  look  around  upon  the  friends 
about  his  bedside  and  ask,  'What  think  ye  of  Christ? — his 
divine  nature,  his  glorious  mission,  his  kingly  office — the 
Sovereign  Ruler?'" 

Such  touching  expressions  of  his  hope  in  God  and 
his  undoubting  confidence  in  the  divine  promises  were 
very  frequent.  Dr.  Richardson  offering  him  a  glass 
of  water,  and  speaking  of  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
God  in  bestowing  upon  man  so  great  a  blessing,  he 
earnestly  exclaimed,  '*How  wonderful  are  thy  works!'* 
The  doctor  added,  "  In  wisdom  hast  thou  made  them 
all.'*  *'  In  wisdom  wonderful  hast  thou  made  them  all,** 
he  repeated,  with  emphasis ;  and  then  passing  by  asso- 
ciation to  the  cherished  idea  of  his  Redeemer,  he  con- 
tinued, **  HIS  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful, 
Counselor^  The  Mighty  God^  The  Everlasting  Father^ 
The  Prince  of  Peace.  Of  the  increase  of  his  govern- 
ment and  power  there  shall  be  no  end,  upon  the  throne 
of  David  and  upon  his  kingdom,  to  order  it  and  to 
establish  it  with  judgment  and  with  justice  from  hence- 
forth, even  for  ever.  The  zeal  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts 
will  perform  this." 

The  following  minutes  from  a  diary  kept  by  his 
daughter-in-law,  Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Campbell,  who,  with 
many  others,  ministered  most  assiduously  round  the 
sick  couch,  will  give  a  suflSciently-connected  narrative 
of  his  last  days  : 


LAST  ILLNESS.  677 

"  February  25th. — He  had  a  bad  night,  resting  very  little  in 
the  latter  part.  .  .  .  This  is  the  first  day  he  has  not  been  able 
to  be  dressed  and  sit  up  part  of  the  day.  .  .  .  After  church, 
Professor  W.  K.  P.  and  others  came  over,  and,  as  the  room 
was  full,  father  thought  it  was  for  meeting,  and  spoke  beau- 
tifully, repeating  tnany^  very  many^  of  the  choicest  portions 
of  Scripture.  .  .  .  He  exhorted  all  to  read  and  study  the 
Bible,  *  that  Book  of  books,  a  library  within  itself,'  with 
system  and  order,  and  to  some  point  always,  just  as  they  ate 
and  attended  to  their  other  duties  daily.  He  spoke  much  on 
many  elevating,  soul-stirring  and  valuable  subjects,  especially 
in  reference  to  the  glories  of  a  future  life,  etc.,  .  .  .  spoke  of 
the  apostles  and  exhortecl  all  to  spread  the  Gospel,  .  .  .  Had 
prayers  and  worship  early  in  the  evening  and  late  in  the 
night,  by  father's  request.  All  night  he  talked  of  God's 
goodness  and  power  and  wonderful  works,  and  the  Saviour, 
the  Light  of  the  world,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  etc.,  etc. 

'^  26th. —  .  .  Many  persons  called  all  morning  to  see  him 
just  to  shake  hands,  and  he  smiles  so  cheerfully  and  pleas- 
antly, and  tells  all  he  is  so  glad  to  see  them.  Mr.  Bryant, 
Mr.  McKeever,  Miss  Mary  Henderson  and  Dr.  Campbell  re- 
mained nearly  all  day.  Father  remained  wakeful  but  quiet 
most  of  the  evening.  Many  persons  came  over  to  offer  their 
services  for  the  night.  .  .  .  Father  talked  some  after  dark. 
Through  all  his  sickness  he  never  forgets  to  say  pleasant 
things  to  those  around  him,  and  particularly  to  mother.  He 
misses  her  all  the  time  when  she  is  out  of  the  room,  and  last 
night,  when  she  came  in  from  taking  a  nap,  he  kissed  her  hand, 
and  was  so  glad  to  have  her  beside  him,  and  said :  ^  Why, 
mother,  I  was  just  about  to  advertise  you  to  find  out  your 
whereabouts.'  As  he  said  this  his  smile  was  so  natural  and 
cheerful !  Oh  the  beautiful  hymns  and  parts  of  Scripture  he 
is  constantly  repeating,  and  praising  God  for  all  his  mercies ! 

**  Feb.  27th. —  .  .  .  After  seven,  father  had  been  talking 
some,  and  when  mother  leaned  over  him  and  asked  him, 
'  Are  you  in  pain,  dear.^  he  said,  '  No,  no,  only  sorry  for  you, 
sorry /or  you*  .  .  .  Father  was  better  after  taking  some  tea 

67* 


678        MEMOIRS   OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL, 

and  toast.  All  day  long  he  has  been  quiet,  not  talking  much 
and  dozing  often.  .  .  .  He  rested  badly  first  part  of  the  night 
— was  wakeful  and  restless  and  feverisli.  .  .  .  Mr.  Loos  at- 
tended to  worship,  and  father  said  Amen  very  distinctly. 

*'  Wednesday,  Feb.  2Sth. — Mother  came  in  and  told  me  how 
beautifully  father  had  just  been  talking  to  her  about  heavenly 
things.  He  seems  weaker  than  ever  before.  .  .  .  Many  per- 
sons came  in  this  evening.  Mr.  Jabez  Hall  and  Willie  and 
I  sat  up.  Father  was  much  better  than  ever  since  his  sickness — 
slept  well,  took  his  medicine  and  nourishment  regularly.  .  .  . 

'*  March  ist,  Thursday. — Father  has  been  much  better,  and 
we  all  have  strong  hopes  that  if  he  continues  to  expectorate 
freely  as  to-day  and  last  night,  he  may  get  up  and  live  some 
time  yet.  .  .  .  He  has  not  talked  much,  but  seems  very 
rational  and  better."  These  hopes  of  amendment,  however, 
were  not  realized,  though  there  was  not  much  change  on 
PYiday  and  Saturday,  and  the  diary  proceeds : 

'^  Sunday,  4th  March. — About  twelve  o'clock  last  night  he 
began  to  get  restless,  and  his  consciousness  rapidly  failed. 
.  .  .  This  is  a  lovely  morning,  though  a  little  chilly.  He  re- 
mained about  the  same  all  day.  .  .  .  Many  persons  came 
and  went." 

During  the  day  he  continued  gradually  to  sink, 
breathing  with  difficulty  and  with  feeble  pulse,  but  as 
evening  drew  on  his  respiration  became  easier,  and  at 
fifteen  minutes  before  twelve,  just  as  the  Lord's  day, 
in  which  he  had  always  so  greatly  delighted,  was  about 
to  close,  he,  too,  finished  his  course  and  gently  expired. 

Not  only  the  laborious  life,  but  the  closing  days,  of 
Alexander  Campbell  bear  a  striking  resemblance  to 
those  of  Wesley.  There  was  the  same  conscientious 
economy  of  time,  the  same  extended  journey ings  and 
the  same  earnest  desire  to  labor  to  the  last ;  and  at  the 
close  the  same  gradual  wearing  qut  of  the  system 
under  a  slow  and  settled  fever,  and  the  same  unaflfected 


FUNERAL  SERVICES,  679 

and  simple  trust  in  God.  Nor  were  the  circumstances 
attending  their  respective  funerals  unlike.  In  Wesley's 
case  great  crowds  attended  to  see  the  corpse  as  it  lay  in 
state  in  the  chapel,  and,  for  fear  of  accident,  it  was 
thought  best  to  hasten  the  time  of  the  funeral,  at  which 
Mr.  Richardson,  who  had  been  one  of  his  preachers 
for  about  thirty  years,  performed  the  services,  during 
which  the  deepest  feeling  was  manifested  by  the 
audience.  In  like  manner,  a  great  concourse  attended 
to  take  a  last  look  at  the  venerable  form  of  Mr.  Camp- 
bell and  to  attend  his  burial.  A  number  came  from 
Louisville,  from  Pittsburg,  Cincinnati  and  other  distant 
parts  of  the  country,  and  multitudes  assembled  from 
the  country  around,  together  with  the  professors  and 
students  of  the  college.  After  singing  the  hymn  com- 
mencing, *'  We've  no  continuing  city  here,"  and  prayer 
by  Professor  Loos,  Dr.  Richardson,  at  the  request  of 
the  family,  delivered  an  address  to  the  deeply-affected 
assembly.  The  procession  was  then  formed  and  moved 
forward  to  the  cemetery.  There,  where  so  many  dear 
ones  had  already  been  interred,  the  body  was  laid  in 
the  grave,  amidst  the  earthly  scenes  which  the  departed 
one  had  so  much  loved,  and  amidst  which  so  many 
of  his  labors  had  been  accomplished.  In  the  selection 
of  his  place  of  burial  in  this  elevated  and  beautiful 
spot  he  had  evinced  his  admiration  of  the  works  of 
God  and  his  delight  in  the  beauties  of  nature.  It  was 
as  though  he  had  said,  in  the  very  words  of  Ossian, 
"  Oh  lay  me,  ye  that  see  the  light,  near  some  rock  of 
my  hills  I  Let  the  thick  hazels  be  around,  let  the 
rustling  oak  be  near ;  green  be  the  place  of  my  rest. 
Let  the  sound  of  the  distant  torrent  be  heard."  Yet 
were  such  human  feelings  and  associations  secondary 
ever  with  him  to  the  divine  hope  he  cherished  of   a 


n 


680        MEMOIRS  OF  ALEXANDER   CAMPBELL. 

better  and  a  brighter  world,  and  to  the  unshaken  confi- 
dence with  which  he  ever  rested  upon  the  promises : 
**Thy  dead  ones  shall  live,  together  with  my  dead  body 
shall  they  arise.  Awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  the 
dust,  for  thy  dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs,  and  the  earth 
shall  cast  out  the  dead."  *'And  God  shall  wipe  away 
all  tears  from  their  eyes ;  and  there  shall  be  no  more 
death,  neither  sorrow  nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be 
any  more  pain ;  for  the  former  things  are  passed  away.** 


LIST  OF  MR.  CAMPBELL'S  PUBLISHED  WORKS. 

Christian  Baptist,  from  1823  to  1830.    Seven  volumes. 
Millennial  Harbinger,  from  1830  to  1863.    Thirty-four  volumes. 
Debate  with  Walker,  in  1820. 

"  "     McCalla,  in  1823. 

"  "     Owen,  in  1829. 

"  "      PuRCELL  (published  by  James,  Cincinnati),  1837. 

**  "     Rice  (published  by  J.  H.  Brown  and  by  C.  D.  Roberts). 

'*  ^     Skinner  (published  by  Mr.  Skinner). 

Christian  System  (revision  of  "  Christianity  Restored"). 
Christian  Preacher's  Companion,  or  "  Infidelity  Refuted  by  Infidels."    • 
New  Testament — New  Version  with  Notes,  etc    Octavo,  duodecimo 

and  pocket  editions. 
Christian  Hymn-book.    Various  revised  editions. 
Christian  Baptism — Its  Antecedents  and  Consequents. 
Life  of  Thomas  Campbell. 
Popular  Lectures  and  Addresses. 

Acts  of  the  Apostles.    Revised  translation,  with  critical  notes,  etc. 

[In  an  about  sixty  volumes.] 


INDEX. 


Abkrdeen,  ii.  554. 

Acheson,  i.  79,  222, 238,  263, 311, 403, 

463- 
Ahorcy,  i.  30,  46,  49. 

Ainslie,  Peter,  ii.  289. 

Allerton,  Amos,  ii.  26a 

Allen,  Thos.  M.,  ii.  376,  538,  596, 641. 

Alliance,  Evangelical,  ii.  541. 

Altars,  Abraham,  i.  231,  277,  372. 

Applegate,  John,  ii.  259. 

Archer,  George,  l  46a 

Arianism,  i.  153,  269;  ii.  52,  65,  196) 
204,  371. 

Asbury,  Francis,  i.  389 ;  ii.  185. 

Anecdotes,  i.  22,  noie^  24,  31,  34,  note^ 
44,  77,  100,  206,  216,  224,  238,  240, 
250,  275,  308,  362,  364,  372,  430, 

433»  457»  468,  470»  494.  S^  5i9. 
52c,  524,  529;  ii.  64,  84,  108,  120, 

126,  242,  245.  287,  511. 

Association,  Christian^  i.  234, 241, 243, 
3".  329.  365;  "-60,  541;  Secret, 
»•  45  *  "•  534 ;  Redstone,  i.  436,  458, 
485,  489;  ii.  68,  164;  Stillwater,  i. 
459;  ii.  140,  164,  173,  329;  Lang 
JRun,  ii.  140;  Washington,  ii.  165; 
Monongahela,  ii.  166;  Concord,  ii. 
169 ;  Mahoning,  ii.  44,  69,  1 00,  163, 
I73i  206,  218,  243,  327;  Meherrin, 
ii.  289 ;  Beaver,  ii.  322  ;  Elkhom, 
ii.  325  ;  Dffver,  ii.  349,  364,  47.6. 

Atonement,  ii.  195,  479,  481. 

Atkinson,  Dudley,  ii.  289. 

Autobaptism,  i.  457. 

Ballymkna,  l  19 ;  ii.  567. 


Ballantine,  Wm.,  i.  162,  179 ;  u.  1J& 

293.  393- 
Baltimore,  iL  139,  499,  543,  587. 

Bakewell,  Selina  H.,  ii.  33,  176,  243. 

Baptism,  i.  82, 180,  182,  183,  184, 186, 
187,  238,  239,  250,  325,  328,  344, 
362,  372,  392, 403,  457  ;  ".  21,  26, 
76 ;  design  of,  ii.  20,  80,  145,  196, 
197,  212,  216,  502,  504,  629. 

Baptists,  i.  184,  436,  467,  479,  485, 
487 ;  ii.  43»  6'»  87, 134,  I47»  172, 322, 
363*  398,  440.  47"  ;  Scotch,  ii.  396. 

Barclay,  Dr.  J.  T.,  ii.  593,  607,  623. 

Barclay,  J.  Judson,  ii.  647. 

Bay,  Carlingford,  i.  83  ;  Lochindaaly 
i.98. 

Beaver,  Anathema,  ii.  323. 

Bethany,  ii.  181,  299,  549,  573. 

Bentley,  Adamson,  i.  215  ;  ii.  43,  164, 
207,  218.. 

Bereans,  i.  185. 

Bell,  Dr.  T.  S.,  ii.  93,  400. 

Belfast,  1.  57 :  ii.  309,  565,  567. 

Birch,  John,  ii.  14;   Rev.  James  K,y 

ii-  73»  85,  5o»- 

Bible,  reverence  for,  i.  39 ;  sufficiency 
of,  i.  39,  143  ;  ii.  28,  58  ;  only  rule  of 
faith,  i.  232,  236,  265,  333,  340 ;  ii. 
12,  478, 486,  495  ;  silence  of,  i.  236, 
259, 351 ;  intelligibility  of,  ii.  12,  27, 
40»  76,  96,  150 ;  study  of  the,  i.  279, 
441 ;  ii.  27,  96,  121,  436. 

Bowmore,  i.  99,  1 14. 

Boston,  Thomas,  i.  54. 

Bosworth,  CyrtiSy  ii.  256 ;  Marcus^  Ii. 
256,  258. 

681 


682 


INDEX. 


Bonus  Homo,  i.  299,  323. 
Brethren,  Plymouth,  i.  62. 
Broaddus,  A.,  ii.  130,  150,  161,  289, 

349,  447,  476. 
Brown,  John,  i.  357,  461 ;  ii.  34,  163. 

652. 
Brown,  Rev.  J.  H.,  ii.  501,  525. 
Brown,  Rev.  Matthew,  i.  296,  308 ;  ii. 

339. 
Brownfield,  Eld.,  i.  441,  485 ;  ii.  68, 

166. 
Bruce,  Archibald,  i.  26,  56. 
Brush  Run,   i.  322,  355,  365,  436; 

church,  i.  367,  403,  430.  459,  497 ; 

ii.  69,  166,  167 ;  members  of,  i.  373, 

naUy  393- 
Bryant,  Joseph,  i.  322,  367,  371,  458, 

463  ;  ii.  166,  299  ;  ii.  674. 

Burghers,  i.  54,  55,  $6,  58 ;  Theologi- 
cal school,  i.  25  ;  anti,  L  25,  54,  56, 
58 ;  Oldlight,  i.  56 ;  Newlight,  i.  56. 

Burlington,  Ky.,  i.  488,  494. 

Butler,  James  A.,  ii.  451. 

BuUard,  Chester,  ii.  471,  475,  536, 
623. 

Buffalo  Creek,  i.  241,  247,  322,  396. 

Buffalo  Seminary,  i.  491,  496 :  ii.  48. 

Bullock,  Thomas,  ii.  xi8,  335. 

Burnett,  D.  S.,  ii.  122,  389,  393,  400, 

543.  598- 
Buchanan,  James,  British  Consul,  i. 

170;  ii.  499.  543f  588. 

Call,  Ministerial,  L  23,  102,  380, 

387 ;  ii.  494. 
Calvin,  i.  366,  387 ;  ii.  216. 
Cambridge,  i.  458,  463. 
Cambuslang,  i.  73  ;  ii.  595. 
Campbell,  Alexander,  birth-place,  i. 

19;  ancestry,  i.  19,  21 ;  age,  i.  28, 

note;    youthful    habits,  i.  31,  34; 

studies,  i.  31,  33,  36,  131,  137,  279, 

441 ;  as  a  teacher,  i.  48,  190,  492 ; 

ii.  485  ;  religious  experience,  i.  48 ; 

il  III ;  industry,  i.  76,  85,  131,  278, 


317,  441,  461,  492 ;  il  222 ;  close 
observation,  i.  77,  108;  formative 
influences,  i.  35,  48,  64,  75,  166 ; 
abandons  Presbyterianism,  i.  190; 
voyage  to  America,  i.  193,  195 ; 
journey  to  Washington,  i.  206; 
adopts  principles  of  Declaration 
and  Address,  i.  250^  273 ;  chooses 
the  ministerial  office,  i.  loi,  198, 
275 ;  youthful  essays,  i.  134,  283, 
298;  first  public  discourse,  i.  313; 
first  marriage,  i.  363 ;  ordination,  i. 
390 ;  preaching  tours,  i.  370,  379, 
464 ;  ii.  91,  107.  168,  330,  389,  399, 

409.  436,  446,  492.  497.  536.  537» 
542,  581,  592.  595,  598,  601,  622, 
624,  625,  630,  633,  640,  643,  654; 
children,  i.  391,  459,  464,  491 ;  ii. 
32,  46,  48,  123,  29s,  361,  394,  436, 
484,  500 ;  baptism,  i.  395 ;  home- 
life,  i.  462 ;  ii.  299 ;  naturalization, 
i.  465 ;  republicanism,  'i,  465  ;  ii. 
571 ;   views  of  slavery,  i.  501 ;   ii. 

,  3»9»  367.  53'.  580 ;  debates,  i.  362 ; 
"•  I7»  71.  73.  268,  338,  424,  433, 
501 ;  publications,  ii.  34,  49,  95, 
144,  180,  222,  283,  302,  658,  680 ; 
as  a  preacher,  i.  315 ;  ii.  92,  106, 
109,  119,  120,  581,  583,  609;  sec- 
ond marriage,  ii.  243,  460 ;  political 
experience,  ii.  305,  319;  humility, 
ii.  441,  586,  659;  property,  ii.  657 ; 
will,  ii.  658 ;  conversational  power, 
ii.  663  ;  phrenology,  ii.  669 ;  last 
discourse,  ii.  673  ;  death,  ii.  678^ 

Campbell,  Thomas,  i.  19 ;  marriage, 
i.  20 ;  education,  i.  21,  25  ;  relig- 
ious experience,  L  22 ;  ancestry,  i. 
21 ;  licensed,  i.  27 ;  removals,  i.  28, 

30.  79,  365.  458,  463,  487,  496; 
chfldren,  JL  29, 46, 96 ;  family  train- 
ing, i.  32,  35  ;  as  preacher,  i.  40 ; 
farewell  address,  i.  79 ;  ii.  568 ;  let- 
ters, 80,  8),  88,  480,  489;  ii.  2x9; 
reunion  w  th  family,  L  217 ;  leaves 


INDEX. 


683 


Seceders,  i.  230;   proposes  union 

with   Synod  of  Pittsburg,   i.  325  ; 

organizes    Brush   Run  Church,  I 

366 ;    labors,  L  38,  222,  488,  497 ; 

ii.  220,  362,  605  ;  views  of  slavery, 

L  495  ;  death,  ii.  605. 
Campbell,   Mrs,Jane^  i.  20,  36,  96, 

401  ;    Dorothea^  i.  29,  96,  99,  395, 

548;   il  646;  JoMi^  i.  46,  97,  217, 

363  ;  ii.  646  ;  Nancy,  i.  46,  97, 458 ; 

ii.  646 ;    TkomctSy  i.  46,  97 ;    Dr. 

Archibald  fV.,  i.  46,  97,  624,  677 ; 

Alicia j.\,  97,  410,  462. 
Campbell,  Archibald,  i.  21,  88,  465 ; 

ii.  527  ;  Enas  (son),  ii.  612 ;  James, 

i.  21,  22. 
Campbell,  Mrs.  Margaret,  i.  363,  380, 

395,462;  ii.  71,  168,  176,  179. 
Campbell,  Mrs.  S.  H.,  ii.  243,   295, 

301.  557»  573.  578.  592,  601: 
Campbell,  Dr.  John  C,  ii.  462,  469. 
Campbell,  Thomas  (i^oti),  i.  131,  139. 
Campbell,  John  (of  Kingsland),  i.  157, 

166,  182. 
Campbell,  Dr.  George,  ii.  144. 
Campbell,  Dr.  D.  R.,  ii.  640. 
Campbell,  line,  il  555. 
Canonsburg,  i.  238,  241,  295  ;  ii.  595. 
Carson,  Alexander,  i.  60,  82, 169, 183, 

187 ;  ii.  132. 
Castle,  Carlingford,  i.  84 ;  Shanes,  i. 

19 ;  ii.  567. 
Catholics,  Roman,  I  21, 42, 49, 96, 99, 

102  ;  ii.  399,  424. 
Challen,  James,  il  119,  334,  388,  594. 
•  Challenges,  ii.  15,  29, 85,  86,  239, 423, 

501. 
Church,  Christian,  i.  259,  407 ;  ii.  58, 

79.  xoi.  352,  493 ;  Congregational, 
i.  62,  64,  70,  167, 179, 184, 189, 384 ; 
Jewish,  i.  259,  407 ;  ii.  79 ;  Seces- 
sion, i.  22,  24,  40, 48,  53, 189  ;  Epis- 
copal, i.  24,  50,  59,  64 ;  Presbyterian, 
L  24,  42,  50»  55,  64,  387 ;  ii.  437. 
Church  order,  i.  170,  179 ;  ii.  125, 395. 


Christian  Baptist,  ii.  49,  53,  95,  123, 
131,  150,  222,  226,  250,  285,  291, 

294.  302,  377.  3^  475- 
Church,  Samuel,  i.  486 ;  ii.  128,  64CX 
Cincinnati,  ii.  241,  267,  334. 
Clapp,  M.  S.,  ii.  41a 
Clay,  Henry,  ii.  91,  ii8»  502,  513.  548. 

58a 
Clack,  Spencer  H.,  ii.  148,  286,  321. 
Clarinda,  Essays  of,  i.  283,  531 ;  ii.  46. 
Clergy,  i.  154,  178,  188, 387, 390, 431 ; 

ii.  27,  51,  54,  60,  66a 
Clopton,  Abner  W.,  il  289,  321. 
Cohen,  S.  H.,  il  353. 
Coleman,  R.  L.,  ii.  314, 318,  446, 453, 

498,  536.  574.  591.  598, 623. 
College,  Trinity,  i.  61,  93,  95  ;   Wcuh- 

ington,  i.  295  ;  il  595  ;  Jefferson,  i. 

295  ;    ii.  595 ;  ^  teachers,   ii.  422, 

537  ;  Bethany,  il  464, 469. 4*5.  491. 

497.  534.  569.  595.  632.  659 ;  Bacon, 

il  468. 
Columban,  I  x  19. 
Collins,  William,  il  259. 
Communion,  I  71,  179;  il  125,  136, 

137,  246,  371,  519. 
Confession,  primitive,  i.  398,  403,  404, 

408;   il  212,  518,  521;  Baptist,  I 

436 ;  ii.  129,  140,  165,  614. 
Congress,  discourse  to,  il  587. 
Connection,   Christian,  il  175,   183, 

185,  218,  370,  474. 
Co-operation,  ii.  493,  497. 
Covenant,    Scottish,    i.  51,    56,   72; 

Bible,  ii.  23. 
Creaths,   ii.  1x6,   120,  141,  287,  324, 

326,  338,  537,  602,  606. 
Crihfield,  Arthur,  ii.  33a 

Dale,  David,  I  184 ;  ii.  264,  276. 
Davies,  J.,  il  545,  569. 
Debates,  I  362,  492,  498 ;  il  13,  X7, 
71,  263,  268,  338,  424,  433,   50X, 

555. 
Deaths,  il  32,  48,  xx8,  167,  394,  40X, 


684 


INDEX. 


462,  487,  540,  541,  625.  64D,  644, 

646 ;  Wicklifie,  556,  579 ;  Thomas 

Campbell,  605,  606. 
Declaration  and  Address,  i.  241,  272, 

412. 
Deism,  ii.  232,  234,  237,  249. 
Depravity,  i.  142. 
Design  of  Baptism,  ii.  20,  80, 145, 196, 

197,  207,  212,  216,  327,  402,  405, 

619,  629. 
Diaries,  religious,  i.  139. 
Discourses,  i.  235,  313,  317,  319,  320, 

322,  323.  335.  353.  355.  3^5.  3^9. 
374,  376,  383.  397.  472  ;  it  92.  1 10, 
1x9,  120,  130,  165,  168,  175,  207, 
210,  220,  244,  261,  336,  456,  581, 

585.  587.  594.  609. 
Divinity  Hall,  i.  26. 
Divinity,  Doctors  of,  ii.  34,  528. 
Doddridge,  Dr.  Joseph,  i.  358 ;  ii.  64. 
Doddridge,   Philip,    i.  498,  530;    ii. 

304- 
Donations  to  poor,  ii.  569. 

Duncan,  Landon,  ii.  473. 

Dundee,  ii.  554,  558. 

Dungannon,  ii.  294,  567. 

Duval,  Dr.  John,  ii.  289,  35a 

Drummond,  Sir  William,  ii.  227. 

Edinburgh,  i.  157 ;  ii.  551. 
Education,  i.  32, 87 ;  ii.  463,  465. 
Elders,  i.  70,  179, 384 ;  ii.  67, 127,  393. 
Elley,  G.  W.,  ii.  286. 
Emigration,  L  79,  81,  84,  98. 
Emmons,  F.  W.,  ii.  291,  361. 
Errett,  Isaac,  ii.  593,  641,  643,  645. 
Essays,  youthful,  i.  134,  283. 
European  tour,  ii.  542. 
Evangelists,  i.  386 ;  ii.  130,  175,  205, 

351.352. 
Ewing,  Greville,  i.  114,  128,  148,  161, 

165,  175.  178,  187,  193. 
Experience,  Christian,  t.  23,  48,  155, 

157.398,426;  ii.  104,111, 113,315, 

360^614. 


Faith,  Sandeman's  view  of,  i.  70, 

177 ;   trust  or  confidence,   L  177, 

376,  408,  426;  distinguished  from 

opinion,  i.  265  ;  its  nature  personal, 

L  41 1,  420 ;  ii.  522. 
Fall,  P.  S.,  ii.  94,  120,  125,  140^  168, 

461,  63a 
Feet- washing,  ii.  129^ 
Fellowship,  religious,  i.  70,  447, 455 ; 

il  136,  137. 
Ferguson,  Jesse  B.,  ii.  603. 
Feelings,  religious,  L  151. 
Findley.  Rev.  Mr.,  i.  356,  490,  525 ; 

ii.  17.  22,  31. 
Flemming,  L.  J.,  ii.  335. 
Fishback,  James,  ii.  92,  336,  486,  492, 

501. 
Forrester,  George,  1 486,  503,  5061 
Forbearance,  ii.  132. 
Foster,  James,  i.  28,  81,  82,  223,  234, 

238.  239,  277, 367. 403, 459  ;  ii.  127, 

167,  652. 
Foundation,  primitive,  i.  408 ;  il  135. 
Forewarning,  singular,  i.  105. 
Franklin,  Benjamin,  ii.  84. 
French  language,  i.  31. 
Freedom,  American,  i.  210 ;  ii.  571. 
Freedom,  religious,  L  5x3. 

Gano,  J.  A.,  ii.  378,  587. 

Gaston,  Joseph,  ii.  174,  205,  209, 
218. 

Gazette,  New  Harmony,  iL  235. 

General  Assembly,  i.  51,  66. 

Georgetown,  Ky.,  ii.  118,  335. 

Glass,  Mrs.,  i.  35& 

Glasgow,  i.  25,  114.  126,  129 ;  it  555  ; 
University  of,  i.  131,  148;  Cathe- 
dral, i.  163  ;  ii.  557. 

Goss,  J.  W.,  il  498,  598. 

X3ospel,  i.  504 ;  ii.  208,  218,  224,  329, 
520. 

Greatrake,  Lawrence,  iL  99,  118. 

Greer,  Nathaniel,  ii.  568. 

Greenock,  i.  114,  126,  127,  191,  194. 


INDEX. 


685 


Haldanes,  i.  60,  149,  150,  154,  160, 
164, 166,  169,  172, 349;  ii.  132,  551. 
Hall,  B.  F..  ii.  388,  389,  395. 
Hallucination,  ii.  647. 
Hamilton,  Patrick,  i.  5a 
Hanen,  Jas,^  i.  222 ;  Mrs,,  i.  397,  457. 
Hartzel,  J.,  ii.  253,  631. 
Harbinger,  Millennial,  iL  203,    396, 

399.  540.  645»  655. 
Hayden,  Williara,  ii.  248,  297,  646. 
Henry,  John,  ii.  251. 
Hervey,  i.  70,  139, 422. 
Helensburgh,  i.  190. 
Henley,  T.  M„  ii.  289,  319,  446,  536, 

540;  R,  K,  ii.389,  598,621. 
Henshall,  James,  ii.  446,  536,  542, 

559.  563- 
Hill,  Rowland,  i.  60,  163. 

Hopson,  Dr.  H.,  ii.  596,  641. 

Hooke,  Dr.,  ii.  536,  630. 

Home-life,  ii.  299. 

Holly,  Dr.,  ii.  91. 

Holy  Spirit,  i.  397 ;  ii.  35,  105,  123, 

151.  349,  354.  356,  374.  434.  488. 

513- 
Hodgens,  Thomas,  i.  81,  223,  355. 

Hurlbut,  Mr.,  ii.  457. 

Hubbard,  E.  B.,  ii.  258. 

Humphrey,  Rev.  H.,  ii.  581. 

Hymn-book,  ii.  180,  658. 

Imprisonment  in  Scotland,  ii.  559. 
Independents,  i.  59 ;    origin,  i.  62 ; 

principles,  i.  64,  65 ;  tolerance,  i. 

65  ;  republicanism,  i.  66,  70. 
Indian  boy,  education  of,  ii.  597. 
Indian  outrage,  i.  358. 
Infidelity,  i.  73 ;  ii.  227,  232, 274,  353, 

390,  409. 
Innes,  Dr.,  i.  151,  165,  182. 
Inn,  Wayside,  i.  213. 
Introspection,  L  77. 
lona,  i.  118,  124. 
Irishmen,  united,  i.  41. 
Islay,  i.  99,  107. 


Jackson,  La.,  iL  457,  459. 
Jefferson,  Thomas,  i«  5001. 
Jennings,  O.,  i.  516;  ii.  338. 
Jeter,  Elder  J.  B.,  ii.  612,  623. 
Johnson,  Dr.,  i.  86,  1 19. 
Johnson,  R,  M.,  i.  536 ;  ii.  334,  40a 
Johnson,  John  71,  i.  536 ;  ii.  379,  395, 

539.  580,  587.  612,  625. 
Jones,  Abner,  ii.  186. 
Jones,  William,  i.  184;  ii.  396. 
Judah,  Mr.,  ii.  314. 
Jura,  i.  115. 

Kingdom  of  heaven,  ii.  141,  214, 

395- 
Kinley,  John,  i.  25. 

Kiss,  the  holy,  ii.  129. 

Knox,  John,  i.  50,  366,  387  ;  ii.  98. 

Laity,  the,  i.  346 ;  ii.  66a 

Latitudinarianism,  i.  265. 

Lard,  M.  £.,  ii.  595, 624. 

Law,  sermon  on  the,  i.  471 ;  ii.  94. 

Letters,  i.  80,  85,  88,  413,  465  ;  ii.  15, 

52,  74,  213,  219,  411,  423,  441,  591, 

607,  621,  626,  633,  648W 
Lexington,  Ky.,  ii.  91,  118,  336,  486b 
Ligori,  Saint,  ii.  431. 
Lisbon,  New,  ii.  173,  210,  328,  592. 
Uverpool,  ii.  294,  545,  567. 
Locke,  on  Toleration,  i.  33,  63,  mOe; 

on   Human  Understanding,  i.  33 ; 

ii.  356. 
London,  ii.  547. 

Louisville,  Ky.,  ii.  120,  140,  581,  638. 

Londonderry,  i.  80,  90,  95. 

Lord's  Supper,  i.  69,  70. 

Lough,  Neagh,  i.  I9,  30^  83  ;  ii.  567  ; 

Foyle,  i.  81,  91,   95 ;   FirUagan,  i. 

107. 
Lord's  day,  i.  434 ;  ii.  57a 
Luse,  Mathias,  i.  395, 436, 459 ;  ii.  165. 
Luther,  Martin,  I  50,  366 ;  ii,  40^  42, 

667. 
Lynd,  Dr.  S.  W.,  ii.  434,  614. 


68 


686 


J 


INDEX. 


Maclay,  t)R.,  i.  168,  fiotc;  ii.  392, 594. 
Madison,  James,  ii.  310,  313. 
Marriages,  i.  19, 363  ;  ii.  128,  167,  243, 

410,  462,  608,  647. 
Martin,  Corbley,  ii.  164. 
McGarvey,  J.  W.,  ii.  597. 
McGready,  James,  ii.  187,  192, 
McNeeiy,  Cyrus,  ii.  172,  329. 
McClean,  Archibald,  i.  71, 184 ;  ii.  396. 
McCalla,  W.  L.,  ii.  51,  73,  529. 
McElroy,yM«,  i.  215;  ii.  298;  y<w.,  298. 
Macknight,  Dr.,  i.  433  ;  ii.  144. 
McChesney,  William,  ii.  525,  naie. 
Macrum,  James,  ii.  567. 
Matthews,  Joseph    and  William,  i. 

456 ;  ii.  x66. 
Messiahship,  i.  410,  5x7 :  ii.  59,  522, 

665. 
Meeting-houses,  ii.  364. 
Meredith,  Mr.,  ii.  402. 
Methodists,  i.  73,  462 ;   ii.  472,  496, 

531.  534. 
Meetings,  ministers',  ii.  46,  47. 

Middletown,  i.  241. 355, 356, 490, 497. 
MilHgan,  R.,  ii.  624. 
Mind,  its  rapid  action,  i.  77. 
Millennium,  ii.  173,  225,  302. 
Mission  to  Jerusalem,  ii.  593 ;  to  Li- 
beria, 607 ;  io  Jamaica,  607. 
Mormonism,  ii.  344. 
Morton,  Wm.,  ii.  287, 326, 461, 580,640. 
Moral  culture,  ii,  467. 
Music,  instrumental  in  worship,  ii.  366. 
Myers,  A.  £.,  ii.  608,  612. 

Name,  Christian^  ii.  371,  435 ;  secta- 
rian, i.  445.      ^ 

Nashville,  ii.  142,  168,  288,  338,  524 ; 
«^»  603,  638. 

New  England,  tribute  to,  ii.  418. 

Newry,  i.  21,  22,  30,  44,  83,  88. 

New  York,  i.  205,  468 ;  ii.  223,  499. 

Noel,  Silas  M.,  ii.  118,  141,  161,  286, 

323- 
Nottingham,  ii.  294. 


Oath,  Burgher,  i.  54,  57,  58. 
O'Kane,  John,  ii.  401,  474,  589. 
0*Kelley,  James,  ii.  185,  474. 
Opinion,  i.  265,  268»  375  ;  ii.  12,  224, 

372,  519. 
Oracles,  living,  ii.  154. 

Order,  Ancient,  ii.  125,  129,  135,  141, 

I73»  223. 
Ordination,  i.  331,  380,  382,  386. 
Organization,  Church,  i.  386;  ii.  58, 

493»  599- 
Orleans,  New,  ii.  239,  433,  457,  626. 

Orphan  School,  ii.  580,  587. 

Osborne,  Jacob,  i'494;  ii>  i^   I74t 

175,  207,  244;  Susan,  ii.  298. 
Otey,  Bishop,  ii.  402. 
Owen,  Robert,  ii.  233,  240,  242,  263, 

284,  302,  543  ;  Robert  Dale,  ii.  589. 

PiGDOBAFTISM,   1.  1 82,    1 87,  238,  24O, 

250,  328,  344,  391 »  399*  503  ;  "•  19. 

21,  3i»  74,  89,  i47»  196,  5«5- 
Paisley,  ii.  555,  563. 
Palmer,  K  R.,  ii.  335  ;  Henry,  ii.  335. 
Paris,  ii.  385,  401,  502,  549- 
Parish,  James  W.,  ii.  580. 
Paton,  Alexander,  ii.  555,  559,  565. 
Peck,  J.  M.,  ii.  487. 
Pelagianism,  ii.  349. 
Pendleton,  Edmund,  ii.  313;  Philip 

B.,  ii.  469 ;   ^  -A:,  ii.  470, 540,  542, 

592,  624,  633,  675. 
Persecution,  i.  62, 430, 435  ;  ii.  52, 65, 

134,  398,  560,  564. 
Petigrew,  Elder,  ii.  594,  596. 

Philadelphia,  i.  85,  88,  97,205,  464; 

ii.  497. 
Phillips,  i.  470  ;  ii.  140,  172. 
Phrenology,  ii.  669. 
Pinkerton,  D.  L.  L.,  ii.  492,  580. 
Pittsburg,  i.  274,  464,  507 ;  ii.  47,  99, 

125. 
Plymouth  Brethren,  i.  62 ;  ii.  546. 
Presbyterians,  i.  24,  42,  50,  55  ;  il  14, 

189,  501.